According to this article in the Washington Post, Leventhal, Senter & Lerman, a Washington law firm says “You can make fun of the fact that you cannot say the phrase ‘Super Bowl.’” OK, here we go . . . .

It’s ridiculous how crazy regulation of saying “Super Bowl” has gotten. I understand protecting sponsorships, and trademarks, and all that crap. But keeping a business from promoting a “Super Bowl Party,” or an incentive to win a trip to the “Super Bowl,” – that doesn’t make sense.

I’ve always thought it’s a good thing if people talk about your product. So why don’ t you let them?

You might be thinking, “The Super Bowl doesn’t need anyone to spread the word – it’s already as popular as it can be.” Maybe, but I daresay that the game itself, the ads and the halftime show are more often a huge whipping to suffer through rather than an edge-of-your-chair nail-biter into the final seconds of the game, even for sports enthusiasts. Most of us enjoy Super Sunday because of the parties we go to, better known as “Super Bowl Parties.” So if that’s what gets most of us to watch, especially those who never watch another game the entire year, shouldn’t you welcome people to have a gathering with you as the focal point?

In addition, when you charge $2.5 million for a 30-second ad spot in a culture where commercials are becoming less and less effective, you would think your advertisers would like the idea that you allow the word to spread. Obviously,  you protect what needs to be protected for your “official sponsor,” but lighten up on the rest of it.

Part of me wonders if the NFL is just trying to make a quick, cheap buck on cracking down. That business sense sucks, and makes me want to hate the NFL (and don’t get me started on the NFL Network).

Overall, though, I hate it when people are sticklers over stuff that doesn’t matter. I guarantee you,  if you want to throw a party where everyone sits around and reads my blog, you have every ounce of permission I can give you. Who wouldn’t? (obviously, the NFL).

So, to conclude my lengthy rant, let me just say enjoy tonight’s big game, may the best team win the professional championship game that is played once a year on a Sunday, have a super time watching that super playoff, and enjoy all your super parties.

P.S. Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl.

————–

Subscribe now to MarketingInProgress.com by email or RSS feed.

You’ll automatically be notified whenever something new is posted.

———-

This article was originally posted at http://www.marketinginprogress.com.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.