Brands: How to improve your Super Bowl ROI

Kristina: In reference to Super Bowl ads costing nearly $4 million this year for a 30-second spot, is that a good return on investment considering the tremendous ratings and social media chatter during the event?

Kelly Ford, VP of marketing, SundaySky: Ultimately, ratings points and social impressions don't directly affect bottom line results. The $4 million price tag for 30-seconds of branded TV equates to buying much more space online, where ads can be more targeted and active for longer periods of time. However, the drawback of a digital alternative is the potential missed opportunity of the water-cooler effect; if an advertiser does something great on TV, everyone discusses it the next day. The $4 million Super Bowl ad spot is not a smart investment as a stand-alone spot, but brands recognize that leveraging the ad across multiple marketing channels and screens allows for further and deeper consumer engagement, and that does pay off.

Kristina: What can brands do, now, to maximize their Super Bowl Ads?

Kelly: Even now, brands can maximize the investments they made during the Super Bowl broadcast to work across all media screens for maximum exposure and optimum consumer engagement.

Brands should hold their Super Bowl ads accountable to perform online. Beyond 30-seconds of branded TV airtime, advertisers can leverage this expensively produced content for online video ad campaigns. They need to keep in mind though, that there are drawbacks to just repurposing a 30-second spot that was made for a mass audience of more than 100 million viewers; online, one size does not fit all.

Advertisers can be much more targeted with online audiences by using contextual video ad placements or retargeting video ads to consumers who already expressed interest. These are some tactics brands can use to fully maximize their Super Bowl ads and ultimately extend revenue potential, delivering true financial benefit and return on such a high investment.

Tags: advertising, advertising ROI, advertising trends, Sunday Sky, Super Bowl XLVII advertising