Commentary

NBC Super Bowl Spot Super-Sells To Viewers With Little Money

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, January 30, 2009

Network sales executives may have found some new network advertisers in this strange marketplace. Marketers like Cash4Gold.com might be right up your alley. Could Bankrupt4Less.com be far behind?

News that NBC had sold a Super Bowl spot to direct response TV marketer Cash4Gold.com speaks volumes to some media executives. To them it says that not only is the economy poor, but that the TV economy is withering right before viewers' eyes.

Cash4Gold doesn't sell a product; it sells a service, providing consumers the ability to trade in their gold items for cash. This plays especially well now with U.S. unemployment rocketing toward the 10% mark, the country in the beginning stages of what appears to be a deep recession.

In past years, fringe companies dipped their toes in Super Bowl waters -- but most of this activity was from too-high-flying Internet companies in the late '90s, or perennial big-event, mid-size marketers like GoDaddy.com.

With Cash4Gold in the game, one wonders what happens now with its pod position in the Super Bowl. Does an automotive maker dare run a commercial before the Cash4Gold.com spot?

"Get a new car at low-rate financing -- but first hock some of your jewelry."

Consider the next step: With the advent of direct response-like, daytime and fringe advertisers buying into the Super Bowl, might they become the next new prime-time advertisers?

Historically, 1-800 advertisers have never been categorized as blue-chip TV marketers. But in this economy things may be changing -- fast. Isn't Google now in the business of signing up new fringe TV advertisers for some cable networks?

The bigger question: Are Super Bowl commercials an increasing reflection of how the U.S. economy is doing? Years of dancing polar bears, wise-cracking monkeys, talking babies, and girls in bikinis paint a crazy picture.

Now real marketing and real stories comes to play. With the Cash4Gold.com spot, Ed McMahon and MC Hammer can be found trash-talking about who has more gold to cash in. Everyone's got financial troubles.

Maybe there's more to come. Don't be surprised if a RepoMan.com spot shows up after a fourth quarter Kurt Warner touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald

7 comments about "NBC Super Bowl Spot Super-Sells To Viewers With Little Money ".

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Clinton Gallagher, January 30, 2009 at 10:20 a.m.
Dear Goliath,
Did you think I was kidding you big fat head? You're dead meat. Good riddance.
Love,
David
Reply

Walter Graff from Bluesky Media, January 30, 2009 at 10:24 a.m.

Must be a slow day. So cash4gold bought a spot. Is that the worse thing that could happen to a Superbowl? If you took all the gold in the teeth of the players you could probably get the economy out of the tank. So just because a Superbowl advertiser isn't a 'bluechip' company, that should mean they are out of place buying time? Funny, direct marketing spots make up a large percentage of all TV buys and barter. Last I looked Superbowl ads cost more than I have in my bank, and the fact that cash4gold can afford a spot means they are successful. Would anyone's spot be ruined if they were placed next to cash4gold? The real question is will some of the stinker spots that will be made this year really ruin it for a successful company and I'd imagine good ad from cash4gold. The Superbowl is the single best way for large companies to waste money on ads that do little more than any other ad, and I don't expect this year will be different. Talk about Wall Street, the banks, and everyone else throwing money out the door on private jets, million dollar office renovations, and bonuses. Just watch the Superbowl to see the same expression from the advertising world. Shameful!

Douglas Ferguson from College of Charleston, January 30, 2009 at 10:41 a.m.

There's more than a hint of elitism in this latest blog about cash4gold being admitted to the Superbowl.

I am reminded of the hand-wringing by folks who are dismayed at the success of McDonalds and Walmart in a challenging economy. So what if Starbucks goes belly up? Yuppies will just have to find another way to broadcast that they're special.

Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited, January 30, 2009 at 3:03 p.m.

It's not the type of business; it's that this particular company which should have some consumer watchdogs on its back. The concept has been around since gold had value. Quite possible a local jeweler not only will give them more cash, but they can supervise the weighing of their wedding bands and other remembrances, not to mention finding out what is the market rate per ounce. So although legal, the magnitude of the Superbowl can imply that this is always a reputable company. Trust but verify with a healthy dose of caveat emptor.

Aaron B. from AnimationInsider.net, January 30, 2009 at 3:08 p.m.

cash4gold has been listed as an Inc 500 company a few times in recent years; odd though it may seem, they certainly have the growth and the funds to make the move.

Marianne Paskowski from Self employed, January 30, 2009 at 6:44 p.m.

Kudos for Cash4Gold for stepping up at the 10 yard line and advertise in a major, expensive media buy, that it probably got dirt cheap.

NBC wasn't too proud to take this scraggy newcomer, and a downer advertiser that reminds us of today's reality.

You seem to have a problem with this, but I don't.

People still need a poke to wake up and see what's happening to the economy. Saw an interesting segment on CNBC today.

The financial cable net's reporters interviewed a bunch of football players about the economy. Clearly they don't watch CNBC, listen to TV news let alone read a newspaper.

They had absolutely no idea what the TARP is,or what a stimulus package is, let alone the price of gas. Why, because they live in a different super star world, for now.

Super Bowl viewers will find they cannot escape from the realities of a currently harsh economic environment. They should, if they still have a job, and not show up hungover at work on Monday.

Wali Al-amin from Amin & Associates, March 2, 2010 at 2:54 p.m.

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