Super Bowl Ads Rival Game In 2010, According To Hanon McKendry / Mindscape At Hanon McKendry Poll

GRAND RAPIDS , Mich., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Super Bowl ads remain a big draw for viewers, with over 57 percent of U.S. adults who expect to watch Super Bowl XLIV planning to tune in as much or more for the commercials as for the game.  This is a 5 percent increase from 2009.  According to the latest Hanon McKendry/Mindscape at Hanon McKendry poll conducted online this month by Harris Interactive®, 71 percent of U.S. adults plan to watch Super Bowl XLIV, with 35 percent of those anticipated viewers watching equally for the ads as for the game and nearly 22 percent tuning in exclusively or predominantly for the commercials.

The 2010 poll also found that over 35 percent of those who watch Super Bowl commercials say they are more likely to visit an advertiser's Web site after seeing a Super Bowl ad, up from 30 percent in 2009.  Additionally, among online U.S. adults who watch Super Bowl ads, 48 percent say they are at least somewhat likely to discuss the ads on a social networking site.

"After five years of running this poll, I'd like to say that nothing surprises us," said Bill McKendry, founder and chief creative officer at Hanon McKendry.  "But even we were surprised at the level of online engagement that will be driven by Super Bowl ads.  With 35 percent of viewers saying they are likely to visit an advertiser's Web site and 48 percent of those engaged online stating they'd likely chat about the ads, the synergy between traditional broadcast advertising and digital engagement only appears to be growing."

Building on the synergy between TV and Web, Hanon McKendry launched www.superadbowl.com in 2009, where visitors voted for their favorite Super Bowl ads after each quarter and got real-time results as they submitted their ballots.  The site will go live again on Thurs., Jan. 28.  In advance of the game, visitors will be able to weigh in on Super Bowl advertising via Twitter and Facebook and can cast their votes for their favorite ads starting at the close of the 1st quarter on game day.