Super Bowl Ads 2012: Revealing Commercials Early Will Make Them Less Effective

The days of seeing commercials during the Super Bowl for the first time are over.

As we head into Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and New York Giants, we've already been exposed to most Super Bowl ads via Youtube. With companies now paying $3.5 million per 30-second spot, they are attempting to maximize their dollars.

But while this would seem to be an effective strategy, it actually has the potential to come back and bite them.

Think about what has made Super Bowl ads so effective throughout the years. Yes, more thought is generally put into them, but they've also been money-makers because of their shock value.

Families have grown accustomed to keeping the TV on full blast during the breaks as the party rages on. A good commercial that surprises can be a subject of conversation among many people and boost the company's popularity in the process.

But what if these people have already seen this ad? What you may get is a bunch of people saying, "Oh yeah, I saw this." Sure, the commercial can still be effective, but it's not nearly as intriguing as when you first see it.

What you potentially get is failing to greatly influence an entire group of people all at once. Instead, potential customers see these ads by themselves on Youtube and it doesn't have the same impact as if a group of people reacted together and shared interest or laughter.

What I'm saying is that the Super Bowl commercials now may not have the lasting appeal as commercials in the past. The impact is actually softened and individuals have already grown tired of the ad by the time the Super Bowl is over.

It's only natural for companies to try to maximize profit in a linear way, by exposing their products as much as possible.

But there can be unintended consequences.