Autoline #1407: The Eyes Have It


Feb 12 2010 25 mins  
The Eyes Have It

Whether it's in the U.S. Senate, the California State House or your own city council, any simple up or down tally where "the ayes have it" can have a significant impact on voters' lives. However, when it comes to having an impact in the world of advertising, there is no bigger forum than the Super Bowl. Especially when there are 106 million potential consumers watching. Truly a place where the "eyes" indeed have it. So for 44 consecutive years businesses have put their products in this spotlight of this special day hoping for a great ROI for the money they spend. And throughout the years automakers have been right there on Super Bowl Sunday trying their best to create the splash that translates to sales.

This year six OEMs braved the nearly $3-million dollar per 30-second advertising Olympics with one, Hyundai, seemingly saturating the entire game. So did Hyundai or the other five -- Audi, Dodge, Honda, Kia, or VW -- get their money's worth? Is it even possible?

Joining John McElroy to try to answer these questions is a panel of automotive advertising experts. Journalist Jean Halliday has written about the industry for years while advertising analyst David Kiley not only covered the business but also worked in it as well. They are joined by an award-winning creative director who is still in the trenches, Gary Topolewski, waiting to produce his next Super Bowl spot.