Someone alert the Snuggie Fans!
Cash4Gold just bought a 30-second ad, slotted for the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIII, making the company the first direct-response advertiser to have a commercial during the big game.
The fact that Cash4Gold is advertising during the most-watched broadcasting time slot of the year sheds light on the hugely underestimated success and power of direct-response marketers.
Direct response advertisers often pay less for ad time, because they agree to allow the networks to run the commercials during less-watched time periods. But as networks find selling ad space at the regular rates increasingly difficult during these rough economic times, direct response advertisers are rising to the occasion.
Cash4Gold is experiencing an upswing, according to AdvertisingAge’s recent interview with Howard Mofshin, president of Cash4Gold. Since Cash4Gold was founded in 2007, Mofshin says, the company has grown from two people to 350, and executives intend to hire another 150 people in 2009.
The highly-anticipated ad will feature Ed McMahon and MC Hammer, who are known for both their fame and ongoing financial woes. McMahon said in a statement, “I’ve used Cash4Gold before, and that’s why I am happy to spread the word by appearing in their ad.”
Mofshin told the press that the commercial shows McMahon and MC Hammer trying to out-do each other by sending in things that get more and more outrageous in each shot.
Here’s hoping we’ll see gold Hammer pants. But let it be known that I’m keeping mine.
David on January 30, 2009
Love this. Direct response gets creative – hilarious. Ed McMahon and MC Hammer duel it out to see who can cash in more of their gold – since they’re both broke. Classic. Nice find Janelle.
Scott L on January 30, 2009
A DR ad for a pawn shop during the Super Bowl? WOW! This goes against the proven DR principle of buy low cpm when people will take the time to respond. I hope they report on the success – but am sure they will spin, spin, spin. From a traditional DR ROI perspective THIS WILL BOMB. But I appreciate the guts to try it, business must be good.
David on January 30, 2009
Maybe they bought a super Super Bowl pay for performance rate……;)