Why do they advertise commercials for Sonic in the northeast?

Question

There are absolutely no Sonic's within the NYC metro area. Why the advertisements for sonic? Must you tease us?

Answer 1

It is actually a marketing resource.  The last guy is partially correct about the TV just carrying the signal into this area, but mostly I believe its intentional. However it is great if Sonic ever decides to penetrate the northeast.  Now we all know about them and if they start coming around here everyone will be amazed and go there.  It could be years or never.  Plus when anyone from New England sees a sonic on vacation they will most likely go there.  I know I have a few times while in Virginia and Tennessee.

Answer 2

THANK YOU! I've been asking this question to myself (and friends and family) for a while now! Their cookie-dough blaster looks to die for. I'm in Michigan and I googled Sonic one day....the closest is TENNESSEE. Bunch of crud if you ask me. To answer your question, I think maybe so the communities ASK for sonics in the North/Mid-West. I'd like one here in Michigan!

Answer 3

Idk, but I often ask the same thing, as I live in NY also on LI....  A few previous answerers made a lot of sense.... About the cable carrying it and exposure for if they decide to expand to our area, as well as for when we go on vacation... I'll tell ya they got me, cuz w/o those commercials I would've been on vacation somewhere and driven right past one and not have realized what it was, now if i saw one, i would have to stop and finally taste a famous sonic, lmao....   Never have seen one though, I guess I gotta go to Tennessee, lmao... Same if they ever opened one up by me... They've got my mouth watering for years so I would be the first one on line...

Overall though, they're just getting annoying...  That and the DQ commercials that I think the closest one is off 209 in PA, cuz we always stopped there when going to my uncles vacation home in the poconos....  And the Denny's ones too, always on ESPN during the bowling telecasts on Sun. afternoons, but thats b/c Denny's is a sponser for the PBA, so I understand why they advertise, but again it's just plain torturous... I heard a rumor a while back that they were opening up a Denny's by me, but I haven't heard anything since...  I'll believe it when I see it...  But its always one of those special treats when we go away anywhere off LI, then you see them, lmao...

Answer 4

It is cheaper and easier for them to place a national ad than placing it in all of their markets.  You are probably watching cable or satellite TV since national ads are cheaper than network TV.

Answer 5

I've heard about them doin that (advertising where they don't have locations).. I live in the same city as Sonic HQ/Corporate Office (in Oklahoma) and as for the reasons, I don't think it is entirely them is why.  You didn't mention where you saw the ads (on cable tv, local tv, satellite, etc). So, here we see ads for places we don't have either.  Occasionally I'll see ads for California Pizza Kitchen, Blimpies, and Dairy Queen. (All of these sound very tempting and good to me).. The only DQ we have is over 30 minutes away, totally different city/town in a rural area. Anyways, I think if you're seeing these ads they must be over cable or satellite, and Sonic is an 'indy' station advertiser, (usually) you'll see them when maybe a certain syndicated show and/or sports show is on.  These Sonic ads are just packaged in and probably because your station later shows the same show you were watching to a smaller market (I.e. to Ohio, Virginia, or Philly), so they will get the ad (basically) later.  I hope I answered to the best that you needed. But, it happens, unfortunately too often.

And, as a sidenote, um, their food looks alot better on tv than it actally tastes in real life. Their ice cream is usually soo bland, and their food tastes like cheap mini-golf food in a way, in my opinion. Trust me, we have like 35+ sonics in our metro area, and almost none are as good as say, dairy queen or A&W/KFC/McD on a good day, etc.