Super Bowl ads, boom or bust
“We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in and be what people are interested in.” says advertising guru Craig Davis. No other showcase in the world illustrates this more than Super Bowl advertising.
As you read this, the Super Bowl is nothing but a memory. However, there is much to learn from the marketing of the Super Bowl, the ads themselves, and what people care about in real time.
When I first began writing about Super Bowl advertising, real time responses weren’t readily available. Times have changed, and so have the messages we are communicating. But what do viewers think?
Everyone knows that advertisers spend millions of dollars hoping to reach their audiences with ads that will be memorable, relevant and ultimately connect in a way that results in sales. Advertisers also depend on the marketing of the Super Bowl itself to deliver audiences well worth their investment.
This, too, has changed over the years. You may know by now that the biggest Google search during the event was whether or not Rihanna is having a baby. I have to admit, I searched during the half-time show, but it hadn’t been updated with the facts as of that time. So, I was left to wonder, as were millions of others.
Kristen O’hara, Vice President of Agency and Brand Solutions for Google noted that the searches for information about Rihanna outpaced all other searches by four times. The next biggest search was Travis Kelce, followed by Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurt and Jason Kelce. So, in general we weren’t as interested in the products as we were in the people. The marketing of the Super Bowl personalities paid off.
The biggest search, not related to specific individuals, had to do with the color of the Gatorade shower Coach Andy Reid received after the game. Seems some people were concerned about the way that it looked and wondered if there was a symbol there. Turns out it was just purple Gatorade.
For advertisers, consider the following: Will people remember the product you advertised? What is your story and can it be followed? Humor is great, but are you losing people? What is the goal, sales or just reaching that audience at that time? Oh, and did you know that QR Codes are back?
Several ads missed their mark in my opinion. The first was Remy Martin. The ad featured Serena Williams giving a motivational sports talk. She was great, but, huh?
It was a disconnect and left people scratching their heads. M&M’S ran an ad that tied the candy with clam filling. Yes, I know this was a joke, but yuk! If you didn’t know the pre-advertising that had been done prior, you were most likely lost and left with a bad taste in your mouth.
Several ads were excellent and did their job well. Uber One was my favorite. Diddy don’t do jingles, but we were left with several jingles and a tune that was easily memorable long after the game was completed.
Molson Brewing, which owns Coors, Miller and Blue Moon brands ran a great ad featuring all three. It was attention getting as it wasn’t clear where the ad was going. Word is that the final was determined by prior voting for the three beers. Unique and entertaining. And who can forget Premature Electrification, Ram Trucks’ offering for their new electric vehicle. It was humorous and a clever way to discuss the fears that some have about electric vehicles.
Overall, the consensus was that this year’s ads were better
than in the past. Only 11 months until we see new ads. What could be better?