Super Bowl ads are considered to be highly effective for several reasons:
- Audience: The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched television events in the United States, with an average of over 100 million viewers tuning in each year. This large and diverse audience provides advertisers with a great opportunity to reach a wide range of consumers.
- Impact: Super Bowl ads have a high level of impact because they are often memorable, creative and well-produced. Advertisers often use celebrities, humor and special effects to create ads that are memorable and will stand out.
- Timing: The Super Bowl takes place at the end of the football season, which is typically a slow time for television advertising. By advertising during the Super Bowl, companies can reach a large audience that is not being bombarded with other ads at the same time.
- Branding: Advertising during the Super Bowl can also be an effective way to build brand awareness and establish a company as a leader in its industry. Companies that advertise during the Super Bowl can also benefit from the event’s high level of media coverage, which can help to amplify their message.
- Cost: While the cost of a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl can be quite expensive, many companies believe that the cost is worth it for the potential return on investment. The high viewership and impact of the ads can make it a cost-effective way to reach a large audience and build brand awareness.
Some examples of successful Super Bowl ads include:
- Apple’s “Think Different” campaign from 1997, which helped to establish the company as a leader in the personal computer industry. The ad featured black-and-white footage of historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Albert Einstein, accompanied by the voiceover, “Here’s to the crazy ones.”
- Budweiser’s “Wassup” campaign from 1999-2000, which featured a group of friends greeting each other with the catchphrase “Wassup.” The campaign was a huge success and helped to establish Budweiser as a fun and relatable brand.
- Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign from 2010, which featured a charismatic and confident man offering humorous advice to women on how to attract men. The campaign was a viral hit and helped to revitalize the Old Spice brand.
- Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign from 2014, which encouraged consumers to buy Coca-Cola products with their friends and loved ones’ names on them. The campaign was a huge success and helped to increase sales of Coca-Cola products.
- McDonald’s “Pay with Lovin'” campaign from 2015, which offered customers the chance to win free food by paying with “lovin” instead of money. The campaign was well-received and helped to establish McDonald’s as a fun and caring brand.
These examples show that even though advertising during the Super Bowl can be expensive, it can be very effective for building brand awareness and increasing sales. But the key for the ad to be effective is for the brand to be creative and to resonate with the audience.