The largest marketing event in the world will be upon us next weekend. A magical five-hour time frame when people actually WATCH commercials. When they turn UP the volume to avoid missing the punch lines, rather than missing the commercials altogether while taking a potty break.

Super Bowl XLIV will not only be chalk-full of brilliant strategies on the field, but smart marketing moves from the advertisers as well. For instance, Pepsi’s decision not to run any ads during this year’s game in order to allocate more dollars to social media and community outreach.

Some say Pepsi’s move is risky, but I disagree. I think this bold decision demonstrates that Pepsi knows it’s necessary to adapt marketing strategies to complement how consumers get their information. Even though the Super Bowl presents a captive audience, advertisers should realize that people are watching the commercials for their entertainment value, and their purchasing decisions are not likely to be influenced by a clever 30-second spot.

The lesson to be learned here, for B2C and B2B marketers alike, is just because something has worked in the past, doesn’t mean it’s the right way to go. Think about where and how your target audience gets information and base your strategy on those factors.

Do you think Pepsi made a wise decision? Do you think more advertisers will pull out from the Super Bowl in the future?