Groupon is ready to take a bigger step into America’s homes.The social buying-powered website is normally passed through word of mouth and through member emails, but now they are buying some pre-game Super Bowl ads to make their brand even more well known, Ad Age reports. According to the article, Groupon has hired Groupe’s Starcom as their media agency of record and is expected to partner with MDC Partners’ Crispin Porter & Bogusky to help with their traditional advertising campaign. The agency is known for quirky ads including some for high-profile clients Burger King and the Volkswagen Beetle.
Why didn’t they go for advertising during the big game instead? Two industry executives tell Ad Age that it wasn’t for lack of trying or money issues. Super Bowl ads, which go for $3 million a 30 second slot, were just sold out by the time Groupon tried to get some time. As for Groupon’s biggest competitor, Living Social, the story says they are content spending 95 percent of their advertising budget online and have no plans on making TV commercials.
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The Future Of E-Commerce: Groupon Becomes Social Shopping Network