SonicSEO.com—Monday, February 8, 2010

As over 100 million viewers tuned in to watch Super Bowl  XLIV, a major brand’s presence was absent from the slew of much-anticipated  Super Bowl commercials. With over 23 consecutive years of Super Bowl  advertising—creating many iconic commercials along the way—Pepsi opted out of a  coveted position in what has historically been the most watched television  broadcast in the United States.

Instead of spending $3 million plus for a 30-second spot in  this year’s Super Bowl, Pepsi has decided to invest its marketing efforts in  its online presence. By launching its Pepsi Refresh Project, Pepsi is seeking  to develop a more meaningful relationship with consumers. The project is a  campaign to give $20 million away in grant money to community improvement  projects. Ideas are generated by consumers and consumers ultimately choose  which projects receive grant money by voting for worthy ideas online.

It is through the Pepsi Refresh Project that Pepsi is hoping  to create more of a rapport with consumers—launching a participatory experience  that will keep consumers engaged with the brand throughout the year, instead of  passively enjoying a one-shot television commercial.

With online analysis predicting over 200 million  impressions, Pepsi has the potential to reach twice the audience that it would  have with a Super Bowl ad.

Pepsi’s shift in advertising spending is a sign of the  times. Large companies are realizing that the most efficient and effective use  of their advertising budget is on the Internet—and not in traditional forms of  advertising that are more intrusive than inviting and interactive.

Companies, like Pepsi, realize that their consumers are  online throughout the year; so, they’re taking active measures to meet  consumers where they are.

What Local Businesses  can Learn from Pepsi         Small and medium-sized businesses can learn from Pepsi’s bold  move to turn the bulk of its advertising dollars away from the Super Bowl and toward  the Internet.

As more and more people turn to the search engines to find  goods and services in their community, local businesses have a chance to meet  consumers where they are by creating a strong Internet presence.

Local businesses should consider putting at least some of  their advertising budget toward an online marketing campaign. That’s where  consumers are—and that’s where local businesses need to be. By investing in an  online marketing campaign, local businesses can create a strong relationship  with consumers that promotes consumer loyalty and drives in new customers.

To learn more about creating an effective Internet marketing  campaign for your business, contact SonicSEO.com. Our specialists can tell you  how we can not only drive in potential clients to your Web site through search  engines optimization, but how we can craft a custom message that resonates with  the consumers you are targeting.

Call 888-437-3737 to learn how your business can get more clients from  the Internet today!