Audi, Mercedes-Benz turn to social media for Super Bowl promotions

With the last month of the regular football season underway, NFL teams are quickly preparing for the long journey to the Super Bowl. It seems many companies are doing the same with their social media campaigns, with several brands unveiling new initiatives for the big sporting event.

USA Today reports that both Audi and Mercedes-Benz plan to launch extensive social media initiatives for the Super Bowl. The two European automakers will reward users who encourage others to tweet or otherwise promote their respective brands during the Super Bowl.

The goal is to go beyond reaching consumers through the high-cost 30-second SuperBowl spots, but brands also need to be unique. "Most efforts won't be able to stand out amidst the flood of 'Let's Do a Facebook Contest About the Super Bowl' marketing lemmings," social media consultant Jay Baer explained to the source.

For many brands, social media will be a much larger part of their 2011 digital marketing initiatives. According to a recent report from eMarketer, companies are expected to spend upwards of $2.1 billion on social media marketing efforts next year.