Boost Mobile officials won’t say how much they’re paying to air a new 30-second commercial during a football game on February 7. But that game, which one research firm estimates costs  $2.5 million to $2.8 million for a 30-second spot, is one of the most watched TV events each year.

(If you’re wondering… Boost asked me to remove the original photo with the logo on right for legal reasons. The Boost commercial is now called the “The Boost Mobile Shuffle.”)

Super Bowl XLIV will be the Irvine prepaid wireless company’s first time advertising in the game — and the first for the prepaid industry. It’s because the company had an excellent 2009 with the launch of its $50 everything-included mobile plan. That greatly helped out parent company Sprint by bringing millions of new customers to Boost.

Boost wanted to up its game, said Caralene Robinson, Boost’s director of brand marketing and communications.

“As I’m sure you can guess, the Super Bowl is always a little bit of a risk for any company and we felt that it was necessary to get into the game,” Robinson said. “We really think this is our way to expose ourselves to broader audience.”

The message? “We’re in it to win,” she said.

The commercial also has Boost’s signature irreverence — some people may remember Boost’s early commercials of senior citizens dancing to Hip Hop music. The company convinced members of 1985′s winning Chicago Bears team to parody the famous “Super Bowl Shuffle.”

Former players who show up in ad include Read the rest of this entry »