More automotive companies are planning to air ads during this weekend’s Super Bowl. The usual suspects General Motors, Ford, and Toyota will be joined this year by Audi and Hyundai – who are spending $2.7 million for 30-second spots, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Advertising experts told the Free Press that the ads aren’t designed to send the typical Super Bowl viewer off to the dealership, but for the consumer to remember that company next time they are out shopping for a new car.
Arthur Kover, an emeritus professor at Fordham University, said, “Car ads are like throwing seeds in the field and hoping that one of them will take hold at just the right moment.”
(More details after the jump)
This year’s Super Bowl marks Audi’s first appearance since 1991. The ad will feature the new R8 in a “The Godfather” theme featuring actor Alex Rocco – who played Moe Greene in the film.
Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer for Audi of America said, “We want to work extremely hard to get Audi known to Americans. We want to get into the American lexicon.”
Andrew Gershoff, associate professor of marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, said that commercials by Audi and Hyundai will show consumers that they are serious about the vehicle’s they are marketing. He said, “If a company is willing to spend that much money on an advertisement it signals to consumers, and competitors as well, that they’re very serious about being in this particular market.”
+ Detroit Free Press: More auto giants join the ad blitz