Bridgestone's 'Rulers of Rubber' Bring A Game to Super Bowl

As we get closer to the Super Bowl, the daily onslaught of brands releasing teasers and sneak previews of their planned Super Bowl antics continues to increase. The latest comes to us from Bridgestone who will pit its "rulers of rubber" against sporting superstars.

An entire series of behind-the-scenes lead up videos have been produced and can be viewed on the brand's YouTube page. A Facebook page will serve as the brand's digital hub of the new campaign. Visitors will find 3D animated versions of "rubberized" performance balls, pucks and tire models with interactive product demonstrations. Additional celebrity videos will be released leading up to the Feb. 5 game, as well as extra online entertainment which will debut Super Bowl Sunday.

It's a substantial undertaking but that's what the growing pre-Super Bowl game ids all about. In fact, it's hardly about the in-game ads any longer and much more about what's done leading up to the game. The actual commercial are almost an after thought now.

All of which makes sense to us since :60 on TV is, well, just :60 on TV. If a marketer can create a well-crafted program that has a pre-game and post-game lifespan, it has a lot more value than a single :60.