Super Bowl is undoubtedly the biggest game in the US, garnering massive viewership across the continent. Being the most important game of the National Football League (NFL), Super Bowl day is now almost an unofficial American holiday, and enjoys tags of being the most watched American television broadcast and the 2nd largest day for US food consumption. According to Nielson television rating, on an average, more than 100 million people in the US are tuned into Super Bowl at any given point in time.
Commercial Campaigns
Because of such an enormous viewership, commercial airtime during Super Bowl broadcast is exorbitantly priced. Being such a big event, companies have been, over the years, developing their most expensive advertisements to be broadcast during the Super Bowl. Famous commercial campaigns over the years include the Budweiser Bud Bowl campaign in 1898, the 1984 introduction of Apple’s Macintosh computer, and the 2000 dot-com ads.
As television ratings of the Super Bowl have exponentially increased over the years, prices too have shot up, with advertisers paying more than a million US dollars for a thirty-second spot during the Super Bowl broadcast. In 2016 alone, CBS charged a whopping $5 million for a 30-second commercial during the game. Super Bowl 50 was the most watched broadcast in the history of US with over 167 million viewers. It is said that a large segment of the audience tunes into the Super Bowl solely to view commercials.
Tips from Super Bowl Ads
Super Bowl 50 witnessed a gamut of advertisers displaying their products and services. Some of the major ones included Anheuser-Busch InBev, Doritos, Nintendo, Pokémon Company, Hyundai, Amazon, Colgate, LG, PayPal and SoFi. Movie houses like 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Walt Disney Studios also aired their latest movie trailers during the game.
No matter which team you supported, you have to agree that the Super Bowl 50 ads were extremely entertaining. Companies showcased some of the most modern marketing techniques that left the audience fascinated and tempted. So what makes Super Bowl such a big event and what is that marketers can learn from Super Bowl Ads? How do these top-class companies build their brands and grab new customers? Let’s look at some tips and tricks:
1. High on Entertainment: The very purpose of marketing is to be able to garner a sense of excitement and fascination in the minds of consumers. While several marketers choose from a plethora of emotions such as affection, anger, disappointment, horror, pride, surprise and trust to showcase their brand, ads that are funny and entertaining are always preferred by audiences. And that’s exactly what marketers chose to use in their commercials during Super Bowl 50. From Doritos ad featuring dogs to Hyundai’s car with a car finder, commercials this year were surely high on entertainment.
2. Targeted Marketing: When marketers get just a 30 second window to showcase their brand, it’s crucial for them to know and understand the audience they are trying to reach. Creating an ad that is generic and insipid will not only not serve purpose, but will also cost them a fortune. By identifying the right set of customers and building strategies that meet their specific needs, marketers can promote the right products to the right audience and in turn achieve the desired outcome.
3. Limited Risks: In the last few years, audiences viewing the Super Bowl have witnessed some bizarre and controversial ads that have left them disgusted. While they say any publicity is good publicity, risking the credibility of a brand during a blockbuster event like Super Bowl can result in huge losses for companies. Keeping that in mind, companies this year showcased ads that were light-hearted and entertaining, that left the audience amused and entertained.
4. Social Message: While audiences witnessed a more fun and entertaining commercial experience with the Super Bowl 50 ads, there were several companies that took a more serious approach by offering a social message. Since Super Bowl enjoys such high viewership, many brands took the opportunity to create awareness about a particular social issue, while at the same time ensured a positive vibe was associated with their brand. Some of the social-centric ads this year included the signs domestic violence and the effects of drunk driving.
Get Inspired
Super Bowl 50 saw a variety of ads that incorporated a range of marketing tactics and strategies to woo the customer. While it was one of the biggest advertising days of the year, it was also fun and intriguing. If you are looking to build a brand and entice the audience to boost your bottom line, it’s a good idea to get inspired by the Super Bowl 50 ads. Create a strong ad and have everyone talk about it!
Author Bio
Keval Padia is a Founder & CEO at Nimblechapps, a fast-growing game development company and iPhone application company. The current innovation and updates of the field lures him to express his views and thoughts on certain topics.