comScore 2008 Super Bowl Post-Game Survey Shows Anheuser-Busch Scores as the King of Ads

    RESTON, Va., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- comScore (Nasdaq:   SCOR),
 a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the results of its
 annual Super Bowl post-game survey. The survey of 1,139 U.S. Internet users
 who watched Super Bowl XLII, which featured the New York Giants' improbable
 victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots, was conducted
 on February 3-4, 2008. With two large market teams and the Patriots' quest
 for a perfect season on the line, the television broadcast averaged a
 record 97 million viewers throughout the game, making the event even more
 important than usual for this year's advertisers.
 
     Anheuser-Busch Reigns as King of Ads
 
     The most popular advertiser during the Super Bowl was Anheuser-Busch,
 whose commercials for Bud and Bud Light (including comedian Will Ferrell's
 offbeat spot) scored well amongst viewers, with nearly half indicating they
 would most like to see the commercials again. Beverage spots were
 particularly popular this year, with a large percentage of respondents
 saying they would also like to see ads for Pepsi (28 percent) and Coca Cola
 (25 percent) again.
 
 

 
 
     Q: Which of this year's Super Bowl advertisers' ads
     would you like to see again? (Select 3)
 
     February 3-4, 2008; n=1,139
     Source: comScore, Inc.
                                                           Percent of
     Brand Advertiser                                      Respondents
     Anheuser-Busch (Bud/Bud Light)                            49 %
     Pepsi                                                     28 %
     Coca Cola                                                 25 %
     FedEx                                                     18 %
     Bridgestone                                               17 %
 
     1 in 8 Viewers Watched Super Bowl Ads Online
 
     The Internet has become a key part of following the Super Bowl on game
 day, for both game-related and ad-related purposes. For game-related
 purposes, 11 percent of respondents indicated they used the Internet to
 monitor stats and stories related to the game, while 3 percent said they
 went online to place bets on the game.
 
     The Super Bowl has also become an important vehicle for cross-media
 advertising. Though the ads are viewed on TV, many of them direct their
 audience to a Web site for related information, content, or promotions.
 This year, 13 percent of respondents said that they watched a Super Bowl ad
 online after the game. A similar 13 percent also said that they visited an
 advertiser Web site after the Super Bowl. Of those who visited an
 advertiser's Web site, 38 percent said they visited GoDaddy.com, while 22
 percent visited Coca Cola's site and 21 percent visited Pepsi's site.
 
     Hyundai Does Most to Help its Brand, SalesGenie.com the Least
 
     Super Bowl ads are often a risky venture for advertisers due to the
 increased attention and scrutiny they receive, not to mention the reported
 $2.7 million price tag for a 30-second spot. Though most ads elicit a
 highly positive impression of the brand being advertised, in some cases
 advertisers can actually incur damage to their brand. Respondents were
 asked whether the Super Bowl ads they saw improved or hurt their impression
 of the brands being advertised, and each of this year's advertisers did see
 some level of brand improvement.
 
     Hyundai's advertisement for the Genesis had the most positive impact on
 its brand, with 46 percent of respondents indicating it helped the brand,
 while just 1 percent said it damaged the brand, giving it a net improvement
 score of 45 percent. Anheuser-Busch once again got an overwhelmingly
 positive response, while Bridgestone earned the third highest net
 improvement score with its humorous ad featuring Richard Simmons.
 
 

 
 
     Q:  Which Super Bowl advertisers' ads improved or damaged your
     impression of the brand in any way?
 
     February 3-4, 2008; n=1,139
     Source: comScore, Inc.
                                                                     Net
                                                                 Improvement
     Highest Improvement                 Improved    Damaged        Score
     Hyundai                                46 %        1 %          45 %
     Anheuser-Busch (Bud/Bud Light)         44 %        2 %          42 %
     Bridgestone                            42 %        3 %          39 %
 
                                                                     Net
                                                                 Improvement
     Lowest Improvement                  Improved    Damaged        Score
     SalesGenie.com                         21 %       18 %           3 %
     GoDaddy.com                            26 %       13 %          13 %
     Under Armour                           30 %       12 %          18 %
     *based on minimum 100 survey responses
 
     Meanwhile, SalesGenie.com had the highest "brand damage" score, but
 still managed a small net improvement score. Perennially controversial
 Super Bowl advertiser GoDaddy.com also drew a high negative response with
 its racy ad featuring race car driver Danica Patrick.
 
     "Anheuser-Busch's performance in this study reinforces the persuasive
 power of combining likeability with the right messaging," said Barry
 Krause, CEO of Persuasion Arts & Sciences, a new model agency. "Regardless
 of how many hits they receive, Sales Genie, on the other hand, missed an
 opportunity by turning off almost as many people as they turned on."
 
     About comScore
 
     comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ:   SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the
 digital world. For more information, please visit
 http://www.comscore.com/boilerplate.
 
 
 

SOURCE comScore