Internet Firms Dot Coming to the Super Bowl

Internet companies are already snapping up those expensive advertising spots for Super Bowl XXXIV on Jan. 30.

In fact, dot com businesses have taken 12 to 15 of the 61 advertising slots available, according to a USA Today report.

Larry Fried, executive vice president/NFL sales of Walt Disney Co.’s ABC television network, said 90 percent of the advertising spots have been sold, at a cost of about $1.9 million per 30-second spot.

Job search site Monster.com will air two spots, the newspaper said, and competitor HotJobs.com said it has purchased two spots.

Last football season, HotJobs.com spent over $2 million, or nearly half of its annual revenue, on a single 30-second spot during Super Bowl XXXIII, becoming the smallest company in history to purchase Super Bowl airtime.

Last year the number of visitors to advertisers’ Internet sites nearly doubled on game day, according to Media Metrix.

“Last year everyone thought we were crazy for spending so much money on a Super Bowl ad,” said Richard Johnson, president and CEO of HotJobs.com.

“In hindsight everyone agrees that the commercial paid for itself by an order of magnitude. Since airing the spot, our member companies and job seekers have doubled in number, and our revenues have increased by 82 percent.”