Even the best spot in and of itself will not activate a brand. But the right ad will be a catalyst for engagement–ultimately leading to brand activation. To that end, many of the polls, analyses, and reporting devices/meters rating ad popularity and brand impact tell only a partial story. We’ve taken it a step further with the first-ever Super Bowl Brand Activation Index (SBAI).

Another hot streak by the New York football Giants proves that a mediocre season doesn’t matter in the NFL–the end result of Super Bowl victory is the only thing that matters. Well, that and money–lots of it. I have been digesting all of the post-game analysis, both in the sports world and on the marketing side. Here are some points of interest.

As high tech markets mature, there is less need to worry that the audience won’t understand a particular product. But while that leaves knowledgable consumers in the enviable position of not being talked down to, it leaves marketers grasping at how to market their products to a less sophisticated consumer.

In 2010, the company enabled mobile ads that could be tapped to make a call, speed dial in disguise. Now, Google ads generate more than 10 million calls a month. The hitch? Figuring out how to track the impact mobile advertising has on consumers.