OPINION ZONE: Failing to leverage your marketing dollars? Bad idea.

April 14, 2009 | Posted by Carolyn Pikoulas
The Super Bowl is long gone. But the question remains: what was the most memorable thing about the game (besides Troy Polamalu's beautiful, flowing mane)? If a commercial such as Cash4Gold, E-Trade, or Kellogg's Frosted Flakes comes to mind, you're not alone. These companies did a great job of leveraging and integrating their campaigns to make a lasting impression on their audience.

According to data from social media marketing agency Reprise Media, these advertisers scored big on integration between their TV spots and online presence. For example, E-Trade used "outtakes" of its Super Bowl ads in the weeks leading up to the game to drive interest. Using the same cohesive message in their social media outlets, paid search, website and TV ads, this campaign paid off well during the big game.

Cash4Gold used searches on the names of its celebrity spokespeople--Ed McMahon and MC Hammer--to drive traffic from paid search to their corporate blog with YouTube videos embedded. On top of that, who could forget the hilarity of watching MC Hammer sell his gold chains? I, for one, did not see that coming.

Kellogg also created a lot of buzz surrounding their Plant A Seed campaign, which is committed to rebuilding athletic fields across America. Schools and communities could easily get involved by visiting Kellogg's main website (complimenting the TV spots), nominating their own field, or viewing other communities that have been nominated.

The point is, these companies didn't just stop with their multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad. They leveraged their marketing dollars in other outlets so that their commercials have some staying-power in the minds of their audience. They engaged their customers, instead of broadcasting a message.

The big TV spot losers included Denny's, Budweiser, and Pixar's film "Up." Denny's free breakfast promo failed to include a URL in their TV ad or an online call to action. Additionally, their website wasn't even prepared for more traffic and had actually crashed soon after their ad aired, and was down for the rest of the game.

Budweiser, too, ignored any search or social media tie-in with their TV spots. And while the spot for Pixar's Up included a call to action and a URL with previews, the site itself was not integrated at all with the Super Bowl ad, and there were no paid search ads to help direct searchers to the "right" page.

Whether you're advertising in TV, print, radio, or paid search, there must be a comprehensive goal in mind. When you put large amounts of money in one area, it becomes even more vital to spend part of the budget to support your online presence.