So, on Friday I took a look at the potential of some Super Bowl advertisements, which leaves today to digest the commercials and say who we thought had the best commercial.

First things first, congratulations New Orleans -- what a win. Second of all, I need to make an editorial comment before I reveal my thoughts on the best commercial: what's up with all the guys in their underwear? I saw enough tighty whities in the span of two minutes during the first half to last the rest of my life. I know one thing, I am not going to go to CareerBuilder.com or wear Dockers thanks to the visage of pasty white men in their underwear standing at the water cooler or singing about pants.

Continue reading Which Super Bowl Ad Won the Night?

Which Super Bowl Ad Won the Night? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Who's ready for some football? The Super Bowl is this weekend, and you know what that means -- commercials that we will all be talking about on Monday morning. In fact, we all know someone who says they watch the game for the commercials.

CBS announced earlier this week that it sold out all the in-game spots, but a few pre- and post-game spots remained. How much money did this make for CBS (CBS)? Roughly $200 million, and that is a low-end estimate. We all know why advertisers flock to the Super Bowl, as more than 98.7 million viewers tuned in last year. No matter who is in the Super Bowl, people watch the game and the commercials -- and eventually they may buy the products from the ads.

Continue reading JockStocks: Super Bowl Commercials, a Preview

JockStocks: Super Bowl Commercials, a Preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I was surprised to read that PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) isn't going to utilize the Super Bowl for advertising purposes. According to this item over at BNET.com, the soda giant will not air commercials for its beverages during the popular annual event.

It's interesting because both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola (KO) thrive on one thing: effective marketing. Sure, you might be a fan of soft drinks and think they sell themselves, but they really don't. Every year, each company's management team must make important decisions concerning how much to spend on ads, whether or not a particular campaign is working, which celebrity should be approached next to become a sponsor, etc.

Continue reading PespiCo Makes an Interesting Marketing Decision

PespiCo Makes an Interesting Marketing Decision originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GoDaddy shows others what not to do with Super Bowl ads originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Bank of America sponsors the NFL Experience ... a bad move?

Bank of America sponsors the NFL Experience ... a bad move? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading How 'super' was the Super Bowl for GE? (Updated)

How 'super' was the Super Bowl for GE? (Updated) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Since most of the Pittsburgh and Arizona fans who are going to the game will drive -- Pittsburgh fans in their SUVs, Arizona fans in their RVs, avoiding tolls the whole way -- take a look at shorting travel sites.

Think about it.

My guess is that when you need to travel, you probably go to a travel site, find the flight, and then book it on the airline's sites because it's easier and cheaper to change your flight than it is with an online travel service.

Furthermore, not that many people are flying.

Take a look at shorting Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE). It's a great site -- I use it all the time. But if you want to make money on the stock, short it.

Michael Shulman is a contributor to OptionsZone.com.

Five winning Super Bowl trades: V. Short Expedia (EXPE) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When shares of Denny's Corp. (NASDAQ: DENN) are trading at half the price of a Grand Slam Breakfast, yet it was one of the companies willing to drop big bucks on a Super Bowl ad, I gotta jump in my car and get down to Denny's to see what's gone wrong.

Problem is, nothing has gone wrong. They are just as crowded as ever, especially during this recession.

They represent a full sit-down meal destination at fast-food prices. And the portions are big.

The company has totally restructured, selling off franchises and keeping all the best locations for its own portfolio -- and the results are pouring in.

On Jan. 15, the company said it expects to meet or exceed its previous guidance for full-year 2008, thanks to the success of the Franchise Growth Initiative (FGI) and other cost-saving actions that protect margins and cash flow.

With the stock trading around $1.50 per share, it's time to consider whether Denny's is some low-hanging fruit ready for the picking.

Bryan Perry is a contributor to OptionsZone.com.

Five winning Super Bowl trades: IV. Buy Denny's Corp. (DENN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NBCU, the entertainment division of General Electric (NYSE: GE), is one of the units that Wall Street wants the conglomerate to dump. Maybe shareholders would be better off if it hangs around.

Some analysts thought GE would sell NBCU after it had gotten a big profit from its rights to the Olympics in Beijing. TV advertising is being hurt by the economy. But, the network has delivered again with record sales for the Super Bowl. According to the AP, "NBC said on the eve of Sunday's Super Bowl that it has sold the last two of the 67 advertising spots for the game, pushing total ad revenue for the event to a record $206 million."

Continue reading GE (GE): NBC pays its way with Super Bowl sales record

GE (GE): NBC pays its way with Super Bowl sales record originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 06:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One billion people will be watching the Super Bowl, but 5.7 billion others couldn't care less. In the United States, we love football -- the rest of the world, loves futbol (soccer).

Grupo Televisa SA (NYSE: TV) produces television channels that reach subscribers in 60 countries throughout Latin America, the United States (via Univision), Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific.

This company won't be blinded by the Super Bowl hype.

Last year, TV yanked NFL games, including the Super Bowl, off the air in Mexico for the whole season after a 35-year run because they felt they were overpaying for the broadcast rights. The NFL felt the Latin heat and entered into new deal terms for the season that began in September 2008.

TV has shown steady revenue and earnings growth during the past several years and is expected to keep growing through 2010. With its advantageous market position and growth characteristics, it is trading at a P/E of about 12.

Ay, caramba!

Nick Atkeson and Andrew Houghton are contributors to OptionsZone.com.

Five winning Super Bowl trades: III. Buy Grupo Televisa SA (TV) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In an economy like this, is anyone going to the game?

Yes -- but Pittsburgh people will stay in their cars (hotels are too expensive), and the Arizona people will stay in foreclosed houses (so they should feel right at home).

Speaking of hotels -- short 'em.

I received an e-mail from the Mirage in Las Vegas to come out to watch the Super Bowl for $69 a night.

Last time I was there for the Super Bowl, maybe 15 years ago, it was about $400 a night.

The Mirage is owned by MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM), which is hovering at a technical support price. Once it breaks through, look out.

I'm not traveling to Tampa or Las Vegas -- I'm staying at home for the big game. And I'm shorting MGM.

Michael Shulman is a contributor to OptionsZone.com.

Five winning Super Bowl trades: II. Short MGM Mirage (MGM) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You can't talk about the Steelers and the stock market without thinking about U.S. Steel (NYSE: X).

The company's headquarters pierces the Pittsburgh skyline like the Steelers' defense pierces opposing offensive lines.

The U.S. steel industry has been dramatically affected by the global economic slowdown, as demand for autos, buildings and other steel-based products has declined rapidly.

As a result, X is now trading at $30 after hitting a high of almost $200 in June 2008. That's an 85% decline in seven months.

But X has been trying to root out a bottom around $25 for the past three months, and the long-term potential for X is becoming more positive.

And, for what it's worth, X gained 25% in the three months following the Steelers' last Super Bowl victory.

Chris Johnson is a contributor to OptionsZone.com.

Five winning Super Bowl trades: I. Buy U.S. Steel (X) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's Super Bowl time.

This day of the year has almost reached holiday status where families and friends gather in front of big-screen TV to spend six hours watching a typically boring football game and stuffing themselves with nachos, wings and beer.

With all of the hoopla surrounding the event, this is a good time for investors to go for some Super Bowl profits.

Why? Looks like it's not just a pseudo-holiday -- it's a tradition:

Continue reading Five winning Super Bowl trades

Five winning Super Bowl trades originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Super Bowl advertisers mull change in strategy

Super Bowl advertisers mull change in strategy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our feature on Money Winners of 2008. See all 20.

Everybody likes an underdog, but especially me -- I'm a die-hard Cincinnati Bengals fan, after all. So, heading into the 2007 football season, I had quite a soft spot for New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. His older brother, Peyton, had just led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl victory. Meanwhile, cranky New York sports fans were calling for Eli's head due to his rather spotty performance behind center. As far as Archie's boys go, it wasn't hard to pinpoint Eli as the underdog.

But, a funny thing happened on the way to the Super Bowl. The Giants nearly upset the undefeated New England Patriots in their last regular-season game, and then the Boys in Blue went on to score unexpected playoff victories against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Green Bay Packers. Suddenly, Eli Manning was following in big brother Peyton's footsteps and preparing for a final showdown against the (still undefeated) Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

Going into that fateful championship game, it's probably a safe bet to say that most of the football universe was rooting for the Giants. By this point in the season, the Patriots had embarrassed nearly every team in the NFL once or twice, and sports fans were thirsty for vengeance. As a result, the Eli Manning fan club swelled to proportions never before seen.

Continue reading Money winners of 2008: Eli Manning steps out of his brother's shadow

Money winners of 2008: Eli Manning steps out of his brother's shadow originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is the first in a weekly series about the car business. The auto industry plays an important role in the global economy, but record-high oil prices and a global slowdown have created a crisis in the sector. This column will highlight some of the interesting stories that emerge as that crisis plays out.

Car Biz: GM abandons the Super Bowl originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Ads Gone Bad series. Share your thoughts and memories of this ad in the comments, and be sure to check out our other posts on marketing gone wrong.

In 2005, internet registrar GoDaddy.com made advertising history when its commercial showing a busty model struggling to keep her top on as she "testifies" before a group of politicians about the company's advertising plans proved too hot for the Super Bowl.

The spot was so racy and tasteless that Fox pulled it from its telecast of the game between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles before it was shown a second time. How the network that brought the world such tasteful programs as "Married By America" had the nerve to pass judgment on GoDaddy is beyond me.

Continue reading Ads Gone Bad: GoDaddy's racy ad too hot for the Super Bowl

Ads Gone Bad: GoDaddy's racy ad too hot for the Super Bowl originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Ads Gone Bad series. Share your thoughts and memories of this ad in the comments, and be sure to check out our other posts on marketing gone wrong.

If Americans are sensitive about racial issues, it's not without reason. Consider the Trail of Tears, or slavery, or the internment of the Japanese during World War II, and it's clear that we've breached more than our fair share of ethical boundaries. But, judging by the reaction to a Salesgenie ad that aired during Super Bowl XLII in 2008, we've also come a long way.

If the upset victory pulled off by the New York Giants in that game was shocking, so was the approach taken by Salesgenie.com's marketing masterminds. The commercial in question featured a pair of talking cartoon pandas, complete with Chinese accents -- a married couple, to be exact, and the apparent proprietors of Ling Ling's Bamboo Furniture Shack. (Click here to watch the ad.)

The storyline of the commercial is not too shocking: business is bad; nagging wife doesn't want to move back to the zoo; husband turns to Salesgenie.com for free sales leads; now, business is great! In other words, it's not nearly as appalling as some old, World War II-era Looney Tunes clips (don't click here if you're easily offended).

However, there was something distinctly off-putting about the Salesgenie pandas, with their broken English and their misspelled "Sofaz" sign. I remember seeing it myself and thinking, "Well, that's bold." It turns out the rest of the viewing public was equally unsettled, and the negative feedback was sufficient to result in the ad being pulled from the airwaves.

Continue reading Ads Gone Bad: Pandas aren't cute when they're racist, Salesgenie

Ads Gone Bad: Pandas aren't cute when they're racist, Salesgenie originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Ads Gone Bad series. Share your thoughts and memories of this ad in the comments, and be sure to check out our other posts on marketing gone wrong.

Mars Inc., has made not just one, but two ad campaigns for its popular Snickers bar seem to sneer at gays. Mars, one of the biggest privately held, family-owned companies, makes many of the world's most popular candies: Snickers, M&Ms, Twix, Starburst (along with Uncle Ben's Rice and pet food like Whiskas), but both of the ads gay rights groups found offensive were for the Snickers bar.

The first gay-themed Snickers ad made a big splash in Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Two mechanics get so wrapped up in eating the opposite ends of Snickers bar that their lips touch, prompting them to decide to "do something manly" lest they accidentally catch gayness -- so they pull their chest hair out.

Continue reading Ads Gone Bad: Snickers tries to make people snigger at gays

Ads Gone Bad: Snickers tries to make people snigger at gays originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Next year's Super Bowl 30-second ad: $3 million originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 May 2008 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.