Puppy vs. Puppy

As the Super Bowl approaches, every major advertiser out there seems to be looking for a way to capitalize on the days leading up to the big game.  Personally, I've been waiting on the latest puppy ad from Budweiser.  I love dogs and puppies (like most of the rest of the civilized world), and Budweiser always tells a great story in the Super Bowl ads they run.

As I was eagerly awaiting this year's installment, along comes the GoDaddy version.  I didn't like it.  Oh, don't get me wrong, the puppy was adorable, but the whole message was very forced and awkward, and I'm not crazy about the idea of just shipping a puppy off to someone who spotted a picture they liked on a website.  And it was clear right away that a lot of other people didn't like the ad either.  In short order, Go Daddy nixed the ad saying they would run another one, and that they weren't really bad people.

Which leaves me wondering--was that ever the real ad or were they just doing that to needle Budweiser and/or capture some eyes and ears that otherwise would bypass them in a heartbeat?

The skeptic in me is pretty sure this was the plan all along.  What do you think?

This Is a Game Changer!

We talked in class about major leagues sports and NBA's position as the frontrunner when it comes to social media.  This post outlines some of the terms of a proposed relationship between the NBA and YouTube for broadcast coverage of games with live streaming video.  Clearly the NBA is not ready to relinquish its title as Social Media Champion.

The possibilities for other social media tie-ins in the arrangement are tremendous.  The comments, the integration to other forms of social media, the connections to a long-distance team for a long-distance fan, and on and on.  This brings the essence of what it means to be a fan and why people like sports--competition, socializing, recliner coaching, everything.

Can not wait to see what happens with this one!