So it’s Wednesday, and despite the government shutdown, no one can get over the Breaking Bad finale this past Sunday. (Don’t worry – no spoilers.)

For a finale with over 10.3 million viewers and ad rates of $400,000 for a 30-second spot, Breaking Bad has become quite the phenomenon over the past five seasons. It’s no surprise that brands took advantage of this widespread attention for their own benefit, eventually prompting a Mashable article asking if the real-time brand messaging had jumped the shark.

This trend in brand messaging all started during the Super Bowl blackout last winter with Oreo, who quickly put together a timely ad that ran on social media. Other brands were quick to follow, recently putting out their own original graphics to social media to reflect current events.

This shift serves to show that it’s not always necessary to spend the big bucks on traditional advertising, but that it pays to always be forward thinking, know your audience and be open to all outlets from which the audience gets their information and entertainment.

The difference between the “Oreo moment” and others is the way that it was planned out. According to the above-linked Wired article, Oreo had a 15-person social media team on hand to respond to anything that happened during the Super Bowl. With events like the birth of the royal baby and more seasonal events, brands have a bit more time to create their message, and ends up putting a more competitive edge on it all. Oreo won the “Marketing Super Bowl” because of its preparedness, commitment to real time, quick, strategic thinking and sheer creativity.

Like anything else, however, there is a time and a place for real-time branding and marketing efforts. A few weeks ago, AT&T caught flak for its photo commemorating the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy that it posted to social media. After quickly recognizing a negative public reaction, the photo was taken down with an apology for any perceived insensitivity.

As far as Breaking Bad goes, our favorite brand stunt comes from Clorox – playing on keeping whites white – from Walter to underpants. We heard the Stevia replacement brands did well, too, but nobody at the office has finished the series or wanted to read that article. (Yes, we’re binge watching it…more on that here)

What do you think? Are brands jumping the shark worse than Fonzie in 1977, or is this a marketing tactic that’s here to stay? Comment away!

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