Key Points:
More Than a Game: Over 43% watch the Super Bowl primarily for the ads, highlighting their cultural impact.
Nostalgia Is In: Brands like Skechers and Dunkin successfully leveraged nostalgia, featuring icons like Mr. T and Ben Affleck.
Social Support: Social media extensions are crucial for Super Bowl campaigns. Dunkin's strategy garnered 40+ million views post-game.
Introduction
Super Bowl ads have evolved way beyond just filling time during the game. They've become a critical part of marketing strategies, with a 30-second spot costing up to $7 million. This big spend underlines how crucial these moments are for brands looking to make a splash. It's not just about grabbing eyeballs during the game; it's about sparking conversations, building a connection, and leaving an impression that lasts long after the game has ended.
Exploring four examples from the Super Bowl 2024 commercials, our curiosity goes beyond their immediate charm or emotional pull. We aim to dissect what really makes these ads work or miss their mark, extending our interest to their performance the following day. Did they get people talking and engaging online, or did they fall short with their target audience?
Checking out what happened after these ads aired gives us some real talk: being creative isn’t the whole story. What really counts is an ad's knack for drawing people in and keeping them hooked online. Take Dunkin Donuts and Skechers—they totally rocked it, not just winning hearts but also killing it online with huge jumps in backlinks, keywords, and traffic. But the same can’t be said for every company who chose to make the investment. This look under the hood shows us the score—what makes an ad smash it or crash it in the game of grabbing attention and driving action?
Super Bowl Commercials Impact on Sales
Super Bowl commercials have seriously evolved, transforming from mere game-time fillers to one of the main reasons people tune in. Nowadays, with 43% of audiences watching primarily for the ads, it's clear this event has morphed into a cultural and advertising powerhouse. The game plan has shifted, with brands leveraging digital platforms and social media to amplify their message well before the game starts. The secret sauce? Launching ads early on social and weaving narratives that resonate, highlighting the crucial role of storytelling in keeping the audience engaged.
But the impact of these ads goes beyond just making a memorable splash on game day. Building a campaign that leaves a lasting impression and strengthens brand reputation over time is where the real challenge lies, especially in today's fragmented buyer's journey, where grabbing and holding viewers' attention is increasingly difficult. Budweiser's "Puppy Love" commercial from the 2014 Super Bowl is a prime example of this.
By focusing on the heartwarming friendship between a puppy and a Clydesdale, Budweiser demonstrated that emotional connections could have a massive impact, even if they don't directly push product sales. This ad didn't just capture hearts; it became the most popular ad in the NFL's premier event's 50-year history, according to a TiVo study, thanks in large part to its well-developed plot line. Remarkably, 80% of its views the following year were earned, not paid for, underscoring the ad's lasting appeal and the strong emotional connections it forged.
“They have zero impact on beer sales,” Jorn Socquet, U.S. VP of marketing for Anheuser-Busch
But despite the success of "Puppy Love’s” ability to tug on our heartstrings, it didn’t necessarily translate into viewers tugging on their wallets. Budweiser learned a key lesson about the relationship between ad popularity and sales. “They have zero impact on beer sales,” Jorn Socquet told Bloomberg. He continued, “Those ads I wouldn't air again because they don't sell beer," highlighting a shift towards content that emphasizes beer quality over emotional appeal. The Clydesdales, however? They remain a staple in Super Bowl ads, reflecting Budweiser's heritage while focusing more on product messaging. This shift illustrates the delicate balance in Super Bowl advertising between storytelling and aligning closely with the brand’s core product to drive real sales.
Our Bottom Two - TEMU and Squarespace
While numerous Super Bowl 2024 commercials hit the mark this year, including Michael Cera claiming he is the genius behind CeraVE, or Popeye’s genius use of the ever-popular Ken Jeong, not ever 30-second slot hit the mark. Or, a 180-second slot if you’re TEMU.
Despite splurging $42 million on six Super Bowl slots, TEMU's repetitive commercial fell flat, failing to leave the impact they anticipated. While it did spark discussions about the brand, it didn't significantly bolster its image or drive meaningful engagement. The majority of the insights given were about the lack of creativity of the commercials, or the fact that we've all been pronouncing TEMU incorrectly.
TEMU's Super Bowl investment aimed to reignite sluggish growth in the US market. With sales observed a notable decline of 12.5% in December and 4.8% in January this contrasts sharply to the robust 50% growth the Chinese e-commerce platform experienced in mid-2023. But wait, there’s more! If you’re wondering why TEMU shelled out a whopping amount during the Super Bowl, it might be because the overseas company is currently embroiled in class action lawsuits in Illinois and New York, alleging deceptive data collection practices and inadequate data security measures.
Despite the lackluster reception of their commercial though, TEMU saw a silver lining in their SEO performance. The company experienced a significant boost in keywords, gaining 35.5k, and traffic surged to over 8 million a day in the 24 hours following the commercial.
Our other major pass of the evening, Squarespace, featured a cameo from Martin Scorsese, but missed the mark by failing to establish a clear connection between its storyline and the company's core offerings. Despite its flashy visuals, the ad left viewers puzzled about its relevance, resulting in a lackluster response. The convoluted narrative made it challenging for viewers to grasp Squarespace's value proposition, highlighting the importance of clarity and relevance in advertising.
With over 14,000 new businesses launching every day, Squarespace's bid to assert itself as the go-to website builder fell short. It’s impressive average daily traffic rate of over 1.4 million dwindled to just under 1.24 million within the next 24 hours, signaling a less-than-stellar impact of Scorsese's presence on the audience's radar.
Our Top Two - Skechers and Dunkin Donuts
Skechers struck a chord with audiences by tapping into nostalgia, anchored by the iconic Mr. T. His insistence on the "T" in Skechers not only elicited laughs but also resonated deeply with viewers. Many could relate to the common misconception of spelling Skechers with a "T," making the commercial both humorous and relatable. This nostalgic appeal, combined with Mr. T's wide-reaching popularity, contributed to the commercial's success.
The commercial's impact extended beyond the television screen, as reflected in its impressive online metrics. Skechers experienced a significant boost in backlinks, indicating heightened online visibility and engagement. Moreover, the surge in organic and paid traffic underscores the effectiveness of their SEO strategy and the resonance of the ad's message with the target audience.
But Sketchers (see what we did there) wasn’t the only company successfully hitting the mark this Super Bowl season, another big winner is the early-morning powerhouse, Dunkin Donuts. They scored big with their Super Bowl 58 commercial, featuring none other than Ben Affleck in a hilarious reunion with the iconic brand. Affleck, alongside Tom Brady and Matt Damon, formed the DunKings—a boy band that left audiences in stitches and craving Dunkin's Iced Coffee.
The ad struck a chord by tapping into nostalgia and leveraging the star power of Affleck, Brady, and Damon. By assembling this star-studded lineup, Dunkin' Donuts capitalized on the collective nostalgia of viewers, drawing them in and encouraging engagement. The inclusion of these major celebrities further amplified the commercial's emotional connection with the audience, making it a standout moment of the Super Bowl.
This surge in online activity was evident in the substantial increase in traffic, with an impressive addition of 217k visitors per day, as well as a significant boost in backlinks, totaling an additional 19k in just the last few days. These numbers highlight the overwhelming response to Dunkin' Donuts' Super Bowl commercial, showcasing the ad's effectiveness in driving online engagement and solidifying the commercial’s impact.
The After Effects of Super Bowl Commercial Impact
Think about it: marketing magic isn’t just about being the talk of the town on Super Bowl Sunday. The real goal is to create a buzz that sticks around, making buyers pick your brand every time. After Ben Affleck strutted his stuff in that Dunkin' Donuts ad, the brand didn't just see a spike in interest; they saw a tsunami of engagement and sales.
That Dunkin' tracksuit Ben rocked? It wasn’t just popular; it was a sell-out sensation, disappearing in under 19 minutes flat. And Dunkin' didn’t stop there. They took to TikTok and Instagram, turning those platforms into their playground with nine reels that collectively raked in 44 million views. This wasn’t just about keeping the Super Bowl hype alive; it was about fueling it into the daily Dunkin' run for months to come.
But here's the million-dollar question: are Super Bowl ads really the jackpot they’re made out to be for big brands?
Diving into the data reveals a story of success and significance. Research from the geniuses at Veylinx showed that these ads don’t just catch eyes; they boost product demand by a notable 6.4% among those who watched. And here’s a fun fact: women, in particular, seemed to really vibe with these ads, showing a whopping 21% spike in interest. This tells us that Super Bowl commercials have the power to resonate deeply with specific segments of the audience, sparking serious engagement and interest.
Final Insights
Wrapping it all up, Super Bowl commercials are the big leagues of marketing, where brands get a shot at fame in front of millions. Sure, dropping a few million on a 30-second spot might seem steep, but the payoff? It's huge. From boosting your brand's visibility to cranking up engagement and sales, the benefits are clear as day.
What makes a Super Bowl ad stick? It's not just about a catchy jingle or a tearjerker moment. It's about sparking real talk and keeping that momentum rolling long after the game's done. Brands that get it right, tapping into our love for nostalgia, making us laugh, or bringing in the big names, like Skechers and Dunkin' Donuts, they see the rewards. We're talking major online buzz, traffic spikes, and a solid rep boost.
But let's be real—not every ad is going to score a touchdown. Some just don't connect, missing the chance to really show what they're about or to resonate with their audience. That's a missed opportunity, plain and simple.
So, even if we're not all shelling out the big bucks for a Super Bowl slot, there's plenty we can take from these playbook moves. It all begins with understanding who you're talking to, crafting a story that hooks them, and leveraging digital and social media to make some noise. By staying attuned to current trends and prioritizing authenticity, you can apply these principles to achieve significant advancements for your brand throughout the year.