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

Hyundai Does Most to Improve Brand Image;

SalesGenie.com Incurs Most Brand Damage

RESTON, VA, February 6, 2008 – 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.

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.

*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 www.comscore.com/boilerplate.

Press
Bill Daddi
Daddi Brand Communications
646-370-1341
press@comscore.com