and the considerable value of blogs

To some anyway. CNET News.com has an interesting report on an Internet research company’s stated intention to monitor positive and negative commentary about Super Bowl XXXIX adverts – $2.4 million price tag for a 30-second spot during the game this year – and sell their findings to the advertisers. Last year, an all-time high of 144 million Americans watched the Super Bowl, although how many were traumatised by the half-time show is still a source of concern (hat-tip Sheila)

There is a quote in the middle of this ‘hoopla’ that could indicate a more serious side to this story –

“Blogs are a real-world temperature gauge as to what’s really going on out there,” said Tim Hanlon, senior vice president at advertising-media company Starcom IP. “You’ve got big media at one end and the citizen’s media at the other, and the collision between those diametrically opposed approaches to messaging will be very intriguing.”

It will be interesting to see if there are any further developments in this area.

But Intelliseek are not leaving anything to chance –

Intelliseek, via its site BlogPulse.com, plans to monitor the hoopla up to and surrounding the Super Bowl. The company also has recruited 50 enthusiastic bloggers to actively critique the commercials so that it can send a feed to its advertising clients.

Just in case the bathroom breaks do win the battle over “couch time with the commercials” that is.

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