Super Bowl and social media
Last year I wrote about Volkswagen's attempt to capitalize on its Super Bowl buzz by making its ad a full-on social media push, both before and after the game.
This year there are no cute kids, dogs or Star Wars references in the Volkswagen Super Bowl ad. The brand is starting with a fresh concept, but continuing its strategy of making the campaign about much more than the $4 million ad itself.
Volkswagen's ad above was released on YouTube before Super Bowl Sunday and includes the hashtag #GetHappy. So why give up the element of surprise?
This tactic helps an ad stand out in a crowded field where everyone is trying to leave in an impression in 30 seconds. It can tip off early influences who will tweet about it (and hopefully use the official hashtag) once it shows up again during the game. It reinforces a message in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it day of media blitzes.
One difference I expect this year is more activity beyond Facebook and Twitter. Those networks are still the dominate real-time interactions, which is huge for the in-game experience. I don't see that changing.
But the past year has seen huge growth in sites like Pinterest, Tumblr and Google Plus, which are more about ideas and visuals and less about what's happening right now. Brands can extend the life of their campaign by posting behind-the-scenes facts and photography on these sites. On Google Plus, in particular, VW has amassed a huge 1.8 person following, in contrast to last year when it had nearly no activity on their page.
These integrated old-media and new-media campaigns will continue to be the norm as traditional events like the Super Bowl drive consumer interest. But as digital media continues to grow, don't be surprised to see more brands drop out of old media and distribute those huge budgets to digital.