College of Communication and Information professor says Super Bowl ads still target men despite the fact that nearly half of the modern NFL audience identifies as women.
“There’s still this expectation of the [the Super Bowl] being a man’s game – even though it hasn’t been that for years,” said Danielle Coombs, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine.
In the interview, Dr. Coombs explores the facts and stigma behind football advertising, beginning with the earliest commercials before the game was even called the Super Bowl.
Dr. Coombs is an author, media commentator, and consultant on areas related to sports, politics and the politics of sport. She previously headed her own research and consumer insights company, and has extensive experience in election-related research. Dr. Coombs helped rebuild exit polling for major national news organizations, including ABC News and CBS News.
Read what Dr. Coombs has to say at www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/what-earliest-super-bowl-commercials-tell-us-about-super-bowl-180971391/.
Read more about Dr. Coombs other work and accomplishments www.kent.edu/jmc/profile/danielle-sarver-coombs.