Tom Feltenstein

Newspaper articles and blog posts hail Pepsi’s decision to opt out of advertising during the recent Super Bowl as the giant cola manufacturer’s Big Gamble.  I say, “horse feathers!”  Choosing not to waste money on multi-million dollar ads that do not move the sales needle is not a gamble, it’s a sound decision.  Super Bowl ads never have, and never will, generate a strong return on investment.  Although they’re sexy, often controversial, and create a big buzz, these mega-productions are a giant waste of money.

Instead, Pepsi said it has chosen to devote more marketing resources to social media, which is essentially a neighborhood marketing strategy for the digital age.  After all, social media platforms such as web sites, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter gather together communities of individuals who share common interests, engage in intimate conversations, and exchange ideas.   Doesn’t that sound exactly the way people interact in neighborhoods?

Congratulations to Pepsi for finally accepting the neighborhood marketing challenge. Let’s hope more companies follow suit, and choose to spend their marketing dollars wisely.