People & Workplace

FedEx, for the first time in 12 years, will not advertise in the 2009 Super Bowl

By Steve Pacheco on December 22, 2008
 
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Make no mistake, our advertising presence in 18 Super Bowls since 1989 has strategically allowed FedEx to establish itself as a household name.  And it is indisputable that the Super Bowl is the only single event where an advertiser can reach a global audience of this size . . . last year almost 98 million people watched the game.

FedEx has become synonymous with Super Bowl advertising and we’ve had some amazing marketing moments.  To name a few, giant carrier pigeons wreaked havoc and tossed cars in our CGI city, the Stanley Cup wound up in Bolivia, we learned that the cherished Castaway package contained a survival kit, blank color bars surprised all when we learned the network did not use FedEx one year and the EMMY award-winning “Stick,” featuring the FedEx cave men, showed us that FedEx rocked the prehistoric age.

But times have changed.

As a country, we are in unprecedented economic waters.  And as a responsible employer of more than 290,000 employees and contractors worldwide, there is a time to justify such an ad spend and a time to step back. 

As FedEx employees, we, like millions of people at other companies, are being asked to do more with less.  Our most vital asset is the thousands of FedEx team members who truly enable the world to work, absolutely, positively, every day.  In the ultimate medium when where the message is king, being in the game simply sends the wrong message both to employees and other FedEx constituents.  A Super Bowl ad buy is not where we should put dollars at this time although, in the past, the value of doing so for FedEx has been indisputable. 

I’m proud to say that we’ve had quite the run.  FedEx has talked directly with hundreds of millions of customers over the years through the Super Bowl and launched the FedEx brand in some incredibly funny and memorable ways. 

We look very forward to the time when it makes sense for FedEx to advertise in the Super Bowl again.  For now, it’s just time for us to call a time out.

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Very responsible move,

Submitted by Jim Prosser on 12/23/08 - 1:42 pm
Very responsible move, especially since the value of a Super Bowl ad is debatable. If there was already creative done in advance, perhaps you could still release the ads via YouTube or some other medium...

now if we could get the golf,

Submitted by George on 12/23/08 - 12:16 pm
now if we could get the golf, nascar and orange bowl..

Right thing to do for all the

Submitted by dave simms on 12/23/08 - 11:48 am
Right thing to do for all the right reasons- thanks for sharing Steve- I am sure future ads will be as strong and impactful as ever. Thanks for all you and your team do for to share our great company spirit and image with our customers.

I believe this is a wise move

Submitted by eddie robinson on 12/23/08 - 10:56 am
I believe this is a wise move in view of the the current economic conditions. As a leader in the field of P.S.P. that is what we do. We lead the pack not follow it. A tip of the hat to whomever had the forsight to get this done. Ed Robinson RTD--satr/tx/78216

It's a shame that FedEx won't

Submitted by Jim on 12/23/08 - 7:56 am
It's a shame that FedEx won't be advertising in the Super Bowl this time around. I always look foward to with the advertising folks at FedEx come up with.

This is another example of

Submitted by Matt Scheer on 12/23/08 - 2:16 am
This is another example of FedEx doing what is right for everyone involved. This decision demonstrates fiscal responsibility for the company, and its' employees (People) who provide customers with outstanding (Service), helping to keep the company more (Profit)able. The PSP philosophy at work.

Well said.

Submitted by peanut on 12/22/08 - 4:48 pm
Well said.

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