The Super Bowl is widely considered the peak time for advertising, and companies pay dearly for exposure to an estimated 90 million viewers. These spots reached a record $2.4 million according to CNNMoney.
As we know, advertising and public relations can often coincide. For instance, King Pharmaceuticals Inc. paid for commercial spots promoting heart health and an American Heart Association (AHA) Web site. The company did not mention its own top heart drug, Altace. Instead, King Pharmaceuticals hopes the commercials drive potential customers to the AHA Web site where they will take a quiz to determine whether a doctor’s visit is necessary. If so, King hopes these patients are prescribed Altace to control high blood pressure.
Do you feel this means of promotion is effective? Would the company have been better suited with straight advertising? Perhaps the fact that these commercials generate so much discussion makes up for the lack of a product name.
Additionally, were there any other commercials that improved your opinion about a company through advertising or public relations?
I don’t think that promoting one heart drug is necessarily the answer. Many people will see an advertisement and get so caught up in talking about it that we lose sight of the product and only remember what made it funny. Bringing people into your website will give you the opportunity to tell them more about your product than you can in a 30 tv spot. Additionally if you’re having them fill out a questionnaire you can get their contact information. Kudos to Snickers for making me laugh but congratulations to King Pharmaceuticals you have the information of an interested customer.