Dallas Cowboys are Again America’s Favorite Football Team
Pittsburgh Steelers move up to 2nd and Green Bay Packers remain at 3rd on the list
As summer ended, there was a sense of trepidation in the air for football fans. Would the arrival of fall also mean the arrival of professional football or would the lock-out continue? Luckily, all that was impacted was the pre-season and the season began on time. And, for the fifth year in a row, the Dallas Cowboys are the favorite team of adults who follow professional football.
The Pittsburgh Steelers move up from 4th last year to number 2 on the list while the Green Bay Packers remain at number 3. Rounding out the top five favorite football teams are the New England Patriots who move up from number 6 to number 4 and “da” Bears who move up from number 9 last year to 5th this year.
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,462 adults surveyed online between September 12 and 19, 2011 by Harris Interactive. Read more
Tips for Watching Super Bowl Commercials With Kids
As families get ready to watch the Super Bowl this weekend, what else will they see besides touchdowns and field goals?
Ads promoting alcohol and other products geared toward an older audience.
Christy Buchanan, professor of psychology at Wake Forest University and an expert on parent-child relationships, says parents shouldn’t squirm on the couch until each round of beer ads is over, but should take action. They can turn uncomfortable moments in front of the TV into “values moments” with their children.
“It is important for parents to address issues and share their values,” says Buchanan, “So, when beer commercials come on, talk about your views on drinking. There are so many societal messages that say ‘drinking makes life fun.’ This is a parent’s opportunity to say what they think and start a discussion.”
Pro football is by far the most popular sport to watch among kids; 66% of kids ages 7-11 say they watch pro football on television. A study by the non-profit group Common Sense Media reviewed nearly 6,000 commercials in 60 NFL games in a recent NFL season and found the following:
- 300 of the ads were for alcohol
- 40% of the games included advertisements for erectile-dysfunction drugs
- 500 of the advertisements involved significant levels of violence, including gun fights, explosions, and murders
- 80 of the advertisements involved significant levels of sexuality, including scenes about prostitution and strippers
Buchanan offers the following tips to parents trying to figure out what to do when a kindergartner asks, “What is Viagra?” or a teenager comments on how much fun people are having in a beer commercial:
- Take a “values moment” — Leave the TV on, but talk about family values. For older children (middle school age and up), use the opportunity to engage children in conversation, particularly about issues such as drinking.
- Ask children what they think about what they are seeing or hearing, then respond to their perceptions and reactions.
- Switch channels and find another show — For younger children, hit the previous channel button to Animal Planet or “Sponge Bob” on the remote control. Go back to the game in two minutes.
- Mute the TV — Without the sound, commercials lose a lot of their impact. Use this time to talk about what’s happening in the game.
“I do think that doing things like the Super Bowl can be ‘family bonding’ events despite the commercials,” Buchanan says.
Hyundai Attempts Mass Hypnosis for Super Bowl XLV
Hyundai Campaign Reveals a Compact Car Conspiracy, Provides 100 Million Consumers a Group Therapy Solution
Hyundai Motor America will lift the veil on one of the longest standing conspiracies in the auto industry during Super Bowl XLV on Sunday, Feb. 6. Hyundai contends that consumers have been conditioned to purchase boring compact cars for practicality and reliability, and accept uninspired design, cramped interiors, and limited innovation, for far too long. Marketing has systemically lowered expectations in the compact car segment, with consumers rewarding the industry by continuing to buy appliance-like clones. Hyundai urges consumers to “Snap Out of It,” with a two-part group therapy session beginning in the game’s first quarter with a spot called “Hypnotized,” followed by a healing session in Q3 with an ad called “Deprogramming.” Both offer the all-new 2011 Elantra as treatment for the malaise afflicting the long-suffering compact car shopper.
Hyundai marks its fourth consecutive year as a Super Bowl advertiser by deprogramming 100 million Americans tuned in to watch the game. Both Elantra spots, themed “Snap Out of It,” stem from the same campaign that originated during the AFC Championship Game, but offer two distinct interpretations.
“Hypnotized” features everyday driving imagery interlaced with the rhythmic staccato placement of title cards asking: “Have we been hypnotized to believe compact cars are good enough?” The spot questions the idea that compact cars are as good as they can be, and suggests consumers in turn question how that belief has become so ingrained in our culture. Long-held beliefs softened by the first spot are then confronted directly with the second, called ”Deprogramming,” which seeks to hypnotize 100 million viewers simultaneously through a kaleidoscope of graphics featuring compact car stereotypes paired with a soothing voiceover declaring, among other things, “compact cars can be more.” Once the viewer is fully entranced, the voice calmly brings them back to reality saying, “Snap out of it, man.” After the Elantra reveal, look for Hyundai to play further off viewers lulled into therapeutic susceptibility with a light-hearted nod to New Age empowerment. Read more
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Goes to Super Bowl XLV MVP
The Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers on February 6 will receive a 2011 Camaro Convertible, Chevrolet announced.
A media panel and fan vote on www.superbowl.com will determine the MVP Award winner, announced during the Super Bowl XLV Postgame Show on Fox, presented by Chevrolet.
“The new Camaro Convertible arrives in dealerships in February and will be a fitting reward for the MVP,” said Rick Scheidt, US vice president of Chevrolet marketing. “It’s a great opportunity for Chevy to have Camaro play a role on one of the world’s biggest stages, the Super Bowl.”
The Camaro Convertible will appear on the field during the postgame celebration in North Texas. The convertible continues the momentum of Camaro, which has taken the lead in its segment in the United States. Available with an efficient 3.6-liter Direct Injection V6 engine, or as the V8-powered, 426-hp SS model, Camaro now features a power convertible top for the unequalled fun of open-air driving.
The Super Bowl MVP receives the Pete Rozelle Trophy, a silver trophy made by Tiffany & Co., and the Camaro Convertible. The MVP will be available following the winning coach’s news conference on Monday, February 7 at 8:30 a.m. CST at the Super Bowl XLV Media Center, Houston B-C (3rd Floor).
Texas to Welcome Super Bowl XLV in February
Visitors Encouraged to Explore Area’s Arts, Culture, Food, Music and Family Attractions
What better backdrop for football’s biggest game than the world’s largest domed stadium, in the state where everything is bigger? On February 6, 2011, the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington will make history by hosting Super Bowl XLV, marking the first Super Bowl in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and the third Super Bowl held in Texas. The stadium will seat more than 90,000, serving as the largest venue to host a Super Bowl since 1993. This event presents a valuable opportunity for visitors to experience the Lone Star State, and to enjoy all the experiences Texas has to offer beyond the stadium.
Sixteen events hosted by several North Texas cities will surround the 45th Super Bowl, including the NFL Experience at the Dallas Convention Center on January 27-30 and February 2-6. On February 5, the Taste of the NFL will take place at the Fort Worth Convention Center, and the NFC Fan Party will be held in Dallas’ historic Fair Park. Fort Worth’s Sundance Square will serve as ESPN’s production headquarters. For the schedule of events, visit http://www.northtexassuperbowl.com.
“The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is a vibrant melting pot of nightlife, cuisine, shopping, culture and family fun, and we encourage visiting sports fans to spend a few extra days exploring,” said Julie Chase, Tourism Director for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism.
Part of the Prairies and Lakes Region, the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is a popular Texas destination. Located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Arlington is also home to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, the International Bowling Museum, Six Flags over Texas and Hurricane Harbor. The region stretches north and south through charming small towns, as well as natural attractions such as freshwater lakes, forests, and authentic dinosaur tracks. Read more