I mean, Sunday wouldn't have been the same without that gem of an ad from CareerBuilder.com? And what about that adorable talking and singing babies E*Trade promo? Or even that bizarre Conan O'Brien "Swedish" ad? Shucks, I'd rather have the ads than the halftime show most years.
One lesson I remember from the advertising genius David Ogilvy is the question he asked about any ad: Does it make the cash register ring? With all the money spent on those spots, do the companies they advertise get a worthwhile return on their investment? While I'm glad to leave that question to the boards and officers of those companies, I have grown curious about whether the ads can have any effect on web traffic.
I went to YouTube's collection of ads and reviewed the traffic to the sites of the companies being advertised. I found the results pretty much in line with what I expected: sometimes the sites get a bump, sometimes maybe people are just hungrier for a snack food or thirstier for a beverage. Web-only companies were a mixed bag. For example, sites like GoDaddy, CareerBuilder, and Monster had no real immediate bump. That would, at least in the short-term, not be much of a ringing cash register, despite how cute or titillating those ads might have been.
On the other hand, Alec Baldwin and his fellow aliens apparently alerted a few new folks to the existence of Hulu. Their traffic hit an un-precendented high in conjunction with the ad. Depending on their revenue, model, that's an indication of a potentially ringing cash register for the online television viewing site.
And then we come to the curious case of Denny's. Those gangsters butching up their breakfast options certainly got our attention. And when the ad ended with a promise of a free Grand Slam breakfast at all Denny's restaurants on the Tuesday following the game, a number of folks apparently thought, "For real?" and went to the company's website to make sure. The Denny's website has, in fact, never received as much traffic as they did in connection with this promotion. But is that a ringing cash register? My local paper reported very long lines, very tired and under-tipped waiters, and even annoyed patrons who were shocked they could only get water for free with their eggs. Having given away possibly two million free breakfasts is not a short-term gain, but some speculated the beverage sales might help them to break even on the ad buy. And there just might be some loyalty to the brand going forward.
Did your favorite ad impact your web surfing or spending plans? Which was your favorite and why? Pile on in the comments!
