ShareThisCommercials aired during the big game next Sunday will work overtime to entice viewers to dish on Twitter and Facebook, zap ads with Shazam, surf corporate websites, and view and share clips on YouTube.
"The Super Bowl is an incredibly social event, and as social media becomes more integral to people's lives, it's a natural combination with the Super Bowl," said Tom Bedecarre, CEO of San Francisco ad agency AKQA. "People now tend to watch TV with a tablet on their lap or a mobile phone in their pocket or a laptop on their couch. They share comments about the teams, the TV commercials, what they're serving at their Super Bowl parties."
While there will be plenty of ads for the usual cheap thrills like beer, soda, snacks and movies, a surge of automobile ads and the first Super Bowl real estate ad in two decades indicate that advertisers are betting that the economy is strong enough for big-ticket purchases in 2012.
Luxury brand Lexus is among them.
"We, like many of the automotive companies, are feeling much more bullish about this year and next year," said Brian Smith, vice president of marketing. "A lot of people tightened their belts and delayed replacing their vehicles in the past couple of years. We're sensing huge pent-up demand. Credit is a little bit easier to obtain and overall the economy is improving."
Century 21, a real estate brokerage with 7,600 offices, is also sponsoring its first-ever Super Bowl ad, featuring Donald Trump, former pro football and baseball player Deion Sanders and Olympic champion speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno.
"It has been 21 years since any other real estate company advertised in the Super Bowl," said Bev Thorne, chief marketing officer. "We think this is a perfect time to signal our confidence in the dream of homeownership."
Advertisers across the board are signaling confidence in Super Bowl XLVI and the 110 million-plus viewers it's expected to reach. NBC Sports sold all 35 game ad slots just after Thanksgiving, averaging $3.5 million for a 30-second spot -- up 17 percent from last year -- and more than $6 million for 60-second ones.
Instead of unveiling commercials during the big game, advertisers are offering sneak peaks online and even in movie theaters.
Advertisers are already vying to have their Super Bowl ads -- or the teasers for their ads -- go viral. One breakout: Volkswagen's minute-long teaser of a canine chorus performing the Darth Vader theme has racked up millions of views.
Kia Motors is taking early release a step further, showing its Super Bowl ad called "Drive the Dream" on 18,000 movie screens beginning Wednesday. It's already running a 15-second teaser at the movies.
"Nobody has ever released their Super Bowl spot in theaters prior to game day," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing for Kia Motors. "It gives us one more channel to tap into, one that hasn't been done before. We're trying to break through the clutter."
About one-third of Super Bowl advertisers will offer a shortcut for viewers to visit them online without typing in a URL. Their ads will work with smart-phone app Shazam, best known for its "name that tune" use of identifying songs' titles and artists.
"People can watch a commercial and literally raise their hand (holding their smart phone) to engage for a customized online experience that leverages all the rich media you can think of," said Evan Krauss, executive vice president of the London company. "We're working with Super Bowl advertisers in every category -- automotive, retail, Internet, consumer packaged goods, beverages. There are giveaways, contests, extra content consumers can't get anywhere else." Ads will show a logo to indicate that they work with Shazam, he said.
(E-mail Carolyn Said at csaid(at)sfchronicle.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com
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