With the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad sitting at $5 million, it’s no surprise that big brands are teasing spots on social media. These companies are using the Super Bowl as a large-scale marketing campaign, beginning to launch weeks, even months, in advance of the big game. In the past, companies would tease their spots by cutting down their game day ads, but through the years this has evolved greatly, into creating stand alone teasers. The thought behind this process is to generate awareness and excitement for what’s to come. But is it working? Well, it depends on who you ask. Social media fuels the viral effect of these ads and really gets people talking, so from a marketer standpoint it absolutely works. Social engagement, branded hashtags, and tagged URLs are all ways to let you know that your content resonated with your target audience, moving them further down your sales funnel. And with approximately 78% of game-watchers also actively participating on social media, in real time, brands have a large opportunity to scale their advertising efforts and expand the lifetime of their campaign. However, from a consumer standpoint, some may say they avoid these ad teasers – like they avoid scrolling Twitter when they can’t tune in to the Bachelor on Monday nights, to avoid spoilers. Others may say they enjoy the teasers, giving them something more to look forward to during the big game. I asked some of my coworkers what they thought, from a consumer standpoint, and here’s what they had to say: “I don’t like seeing too much about a Super Bowl commercial beforehand. I like to be surprised!”  – Cade, Digital Advertising Specialist “If they are posting a brief, cryptic, trailer-like video or static image then I feel like that could build hype. If they are just posting the ad in its entirety on YouTube, I feel it takes away from the novelty of the experience.”  – Czarina, Jr. Art Director “I like the option to vote between commercials to decide which one will air (as Bud Lite Seltzer is doing), however it won’t be as exciting on Sunday when we’ve already seen most of the commercials.”  – Meaghan, Social Media Strategy Lead “As a consumer, I enjoy seeing a sneak peek. It sets the bar for the entertainment factor of this year’s Super Bowl commercials and increases my interest to watch.”  – Sarah, Account Executive PR What do you think should brands continue to run their Super Bowl campaigns ahead of time, or wait until game day? Lisa Dedo is a Social Media Strategist