Sheep behind the wheel

There will be a traffic jam at the Super Bowl. And it won't be leaving the parking lot after the game.

It seems that very few people learned from the near-death spiral that the automotive industry just went through. One of the key things they should have taken away is that in order to survive you not only need to offer products that have a point of difference but also a point of view.

And yet, here we are after just a few short months of profitable business to find that eight automotive brands will buy advertising on the Super Bowl.

Audi, BMW, Chrysler, GM, Mercedes Benz, Hyundai, Kia, and Volkswagen will all take the field in the big game in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. But how can they when they're all part of the crowd?

Yes, the Super Bowl is the biggest advertising stage of all. But too many advertisers will make distinguishing between spots nearly impossible. If you're the sixth, seven or eighth man in a lifeboat built for four or five, you're all destined to drown.

So rather than spending four million dollars for a slight chance of fame in 30 seconds on February 6th, maybe the marketing geniuses at half of these companies should try something different. Like coming up with an original idea for a change.