Most Watching the Super Bowl Want to See Ads

Most Watching the Super Bowl Want to See Ads

Hanon McKendry poll shows one in five viewers will be watching mainly for commercials

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- More than half of U.S. adults (54%) who will be watching the Super Bowl on Sunday will be doing so as much or more for the commercials as for the game itself, according to a survey commissioned by Hanon McKendry and conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. this week.

The survey, which is aimed to quantify the draw of Super Bowl commercials, indicated that nearly one in five viewers (19%) will be watching the game mainly for the commercials, while more than 35 percent are equally as entertained by the commercials as the game itself.

"We knew the Super Bowl commercials helped build some of the buzz surrounding the game, but we were a little surprised by the results," Hanon McKendry President Bill McKendry said. "This information confirms that the Super Bowl is as much a media event as it is a sporting event." With capitalized billings of nearly $50 million posted last year, Hanon McKendry is one the largest advertising agencies/branding firms in Midwest and a recognized leader nationally in developing brand recognition for underserved categories such as non-profits, issues and causes.

The survey also provided some new insights that challenge some of the commonly held perceptions about the typical Super Bowl junkie. Among the findings:

* Ads hold less appeal for older viewers: 62 percent of viewers ages 18 to 34 watch as much or more for the commercials than the game, versus less than 42 percent for viewers ages 55 and older;

* Women said they were much more likely to watch the Super Bowl for the ads than men: Among those who plan to watch the game, nearly 20 percent more of women (62%) than of men (47%) plan to watch as much or more for the commercials than the game;

* Among those who plan to watch the Super Bowl, retirees (38 percent) and the unemployed (49 percent) were less likely than students (64%) and part- timers (65%) to say that they'll be watching at least as much for the commercials as the game;

* Ranges in income and education levels didn't seem nearly as relevant in predicting interest in commercials as age, gender and employment status.

About the Survey

Harris Interactive(R) fielded the online survey on behalf of Lambert, Edwards & Associates between January 27 and 31, 2006 among a nationwide sample of 2,345 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older, of whom 1,629 plan to watch the Super Bowl this year. The data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity and propensity to be online. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample of adults have a sampling error of plus or minus 3.0 percentage points. Sampling error for those who plan to watch the Super Bowl is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. Sampling error for the samples of men, women, those ages 18 - 34, those ages 55+, retirees, unemployed, students and part-timers is higher and varies. This online sample was not a probability sample.

About Hanon McKendry/The Brand Consultants

Hanon McKendry/The Brand Consultants is a Midwest advertising, marketing, and brand-consulting firm that works with both corporate and nonprofit clients. The firm has worked extensively on many high-profile assignments for its roster of corporate clients, which includes Alticor (Amway), Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan, Consumers Energy, Furniture Row Companies, Target Stores and Wolverine World Wide (Hush Puppies/CAT Footwear). Hanon McKendry has also received national recognition for its cause and issue-based campaigns for clients such as The Alliance Defense Fund, Salvation Army, the National Arbor Day Foundation, World Vision, Focus on the Family and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/ ), based in Rochester, New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing market research firm in the world, most widely known for The Harris Poll(R) and for its pioneering leadership in the online market research industry. Long recognized by its clients for delivering insights that enable confident business decisions, the Company blends the science of innovative research with the art of strategic consulting to deliver knowledge that leads to measurable and enduring value. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/europe ) and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in Paris, France (http://www.novatris.com/ ), and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies.

Source: Hanon McKendry

CONTACT: Tim Sipols of Lambert, Edwards & Associates, +1-616-233-0500,
for Hanon McKendry

Web site: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/

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