By Grant Bissell
St. Louis (KSDK) - While many ads may catch your attention, a Washington University professor says companies may be wasting their money on Super Bowl commercials.
This year, a 30 second spot will cost advertisers between $3 million and $4 million.
Professor Seethu Seetharaman is questioning whether the television ads even work.
A lot of companies are now releasing their commercials early on websites like YouTube.
Seetharaman says these viral ad campaigns cost way less and can be more effective than a 30 second spot during the big game.
"I think it's better to spike people's interest before the event for sure. Because that way you're ensuring that when people take a restroom break they're at least not taking those breaks when your ad is going to come up," said Seetharaman.
Researchers point to the success of last year's Volkswagen ad staring the little boy dressed up as Darth Vader. It's been viewed online more than 50 million times.
Seetharaman says it's a wise move to shift to online ads, but companies still need to stay creative to increase sales.
KSDK