Are Super Bowl Ads a Waste of Money? Study Claims So

Some people only watch the Big Game to see the ads, but are they colossal waste of money?

A new study by CBS Business News claims the millions of dollars being spent on the ads seen during the Super Bowl could be a waste of resources!    It can cost upwards of $4 million dollars for a :30 advertisement.   Wow!  But does it pay off? According to CBS:

" Advertising research firm Communicus has sought to answer an decades-old question: Is Super Bowl advertising really effective? Not just at pulling viewers' heartstrings, mind you, but at actually spurring viewers to pick up a six-pack of Budweiser or to buy a new Toyota RAV4?

The answer, which will undoubtedly depress marketers who are spending a record $4 million to reach viewers during the Feb. 2 game, is a resounding "No."

The study found that only one out of five Super Bowl commercials spur consumers to buy a product or build purchase interest. "

This may not discourage many companies from purchasing ads,  already the Super Bowl inventory is sold out.   But while companies like Bud Light and Pepsi as well as Doritos are known for legendary hilarious commercials that will run for months afterwards,  many "secondary" companies are thinking twice about buying such pricey ads.

For example E-Trade, the home of the talking babies commercials, is going to sit this one out.   Marketing-advertising consulting company Communicus has noted however, that even such companies as Doritos don't necessarily see big sales jumps from the ads:

 "However, the story is quite different when actual persuasive power is taken into consideration -- none of the four Doritos Super Bowl commercials over the last 2 years have moved the needle in terms of brand preference or purchase intentions."

But regardless of whether or not they work,  it's doubtful we will see any decrease in the number of firms who clamor to get their ads on TV during the most watched sporting event in the world.