Marketing and all things related

When we teach marketing, we tell our students that television advertising (with the exception of direct response television) is a waste of money. Sometimes, television advertising is a colossal waste of money—to the tune of about $ 700,000 for 30 seconds on a midseason placement on American Idol. We learned from Advertising Age (free registration required) that American Idol has claimed the title of most expensive television advertising venue for three years in a row. Desperate Housewives is the second most expensive ad buy, followed by Brothers and Sisters. Of course not everyone pays top dollar for American Idol, the price varies upon the total upfront ad buy. Preferred advertisers pay about $ 550,000 per 30 second spot. Okay, here is the deal. We hate to stereotype, but people who watch American Idol breathe through their mouths. If you market a product that mouth-breathers must have, consider advertising on American Idol. But keep in mind that mouth-breathers cannot watch television and think at the same time. Your commerical message will be wasted. Photo Credit: Advertising Age