What do Pamela Anderson, Mario Batali and Jenna Bush Hagar have in common? Though I’d love to see what answers are popping into your heads right now, I’ll go ahead and end the suspense. They each (yes, even Pamela Anderson) have the smarts to know a marketing goldmine when they see it – the goldmine that is and surrounds the Super Bowl.

Just like every other opportunity we face as marketers (and just like the Detroit Lions each season) it’s easy to look at the Super Bowl as an unattainable goal. Dollars. Human resources. Audiences. Media. Each one a red flag or obstacle to joining the playing field.

We cripple ourselves with, “I’m not as big as Doritos, Budweiser and State Farm.” “I don’t have…” “I don’t know how…” Well, guess what?!? Pamela, Mario and Jenna don’t have the budgets those big-time players have, either. But, what they do have is a strong relationship with their target audiences and that’s all you really need to assemble a group of likeminded individuals who represent your best customers or ideal message spreaders. Mario, Pamela and Jenna are inviting their tried and true “bases”, among others drawn to their personalities/messages, to support their respective events in Dallas throughout Super Bowl week.

It doesn’t matter if your audience is 30 or 3,000, or even if it’s a traditional football demographic or not. Previously just a hot dog holiday, the big event is now being leveraged by foodies and celebrity chefs, including Mr. Batali, and more! Simply put, there’s more than enough of the Super Bowl buzz to go around – just ask Mann Packing and the Hass Avocado Board.

And, it doesn’t have to stop there. You can (easily) identify other points of connectivity outside of the holidays and the Super Bowl and plan a local event to bring together fans of your products and supporters of your goals. Honing that people-connecting quality that these super-type events automatically provide is a guaranteed touchdown!

So What?: One of the things the Super Bowl is best at is bringing people together. Use that to your advantage and accomplish 3 things: 1) borrow some “buzz” for your products/messages, 2) deliver your message to a captive audience, and 3) connect your customers/supporters, which may result in unimagined new opportunities.

Posted by The Health Nut (Brock Nemecek)