We’re coming up on every marketer’s and ad-lover alike, favourite weekend: The Super Bowl. While Sunday’s showdown is bound to be an exciting competition for the NFL superstars, advertisers are also ready at the wheel to have their work showcased on the major stage.
This year’s game is shaping up to be a significant bounce back from Super Bowl LV’s lacklustre viewership. An estimated 100 million viewers in the US will tune in to watch the Rams and Bengals face off. And while increased viewership is excellent, it also means the price tag for the already historically expensive ad spots is climbing even higher.
Those that opted for a 30-second ad spot in this year’s game shelled out a record-setting $6.5 million. We’ll see ads from the mainstays of Super Bowl advertisers like Expedia, Nissan, and Budweiser (who will return after sitting last year’s game out for the first time in nearly four decades). And some new faces will make an appearance, including Planet Fitness, FTX, Crypto.com, Carvana, and Caesars Sportsbook.
Download our Guide for Advertisers: Trends & Tactics for Reaching Super Bowl Viewers.
Think Beyond Traditional TV Spots
While these big senders are soaking in the limelight leading up to the game, the opportunities for advertisers don’t stop there, nor do they require the heavy investment.
When more than 100 million people in the U.S. sit down to watch the game, there’s bound to be viral moments that everyone will be talking about. This creates a great opportunity for brands to make a splash, join trending conversations, and earn some extra buzz.
Take Oreo’s viral ad of 2013, for example. During the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVII, a power outage caused a 34-minute blackout at the Superdome. Oreo thought quickly and jumped into the conversation, tweeting, “Power Out? No problem.” alongside an image that read, “You can still dunk in the dark.” Within the span of the game, the post led to 15,000 retweets, 20,000 likes on Facebook, and 34,000 new Instagram followers. After the event, the buzz continued with countless press mentions and earned media.
For brands, it’s important to remember that these trends and conversations move quickly, so fast action is essential. Quick thinking strategists and data-driven media buyers can help advertisers not only think quickly but act just as fast to ensure their message reaches fans on the right channel while the trends are still trending.
Proven Success: Tipico Targets Sports Fans Across Tentpole Events
Take, for example, our client, Tipico. We’ve worked with the sports betting application to execute data-driven campaigns surrounding major sporting events, like the Super Bowl, for nearly two years.
When asked about the necessity for quick thinking strategy and implementation, Keith Gormley, VP, Head of Marketing for the team, outlined it perfectly:
“Major sporting events, like the Super Bowl, are a crowded space for advertisers. It is important to come to the table with an innovative approach supported by data and smart strategies… or it could be a missed opportunity to reach your audience and promote your brand during a large tentpole event. Cutting through the noise is key, and through our partnership with Digilant, we were able to be smart about our approach.”
– Keith Gormley, VP, Head of U.S. Marketing, Tipico
Key Tactics & Channels to Implement for Major Sporting Events
The Super Bowl, March Madness, Opening Day for the MLB and other major events in the sporting world, create great opportunities for advertisers to get in on the action. But, doing so quickly and strategically will make all the difference between being part of the noise and standing out amongst the crowd.
Below you can find a quick snapshot of some tactics we suggest our clients use to stay in step with conversations surrounding major events, like Sunday’s Super Bowl.
1. Automatic Content Recognition
Enhance your reach by retargeting viewers who have seen your TV ads, competitors TV or OTT ads by reaching them across any device and any channel.
2. Contextual Targeting
Target super bowl content (i.e. Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Ram, SoFi Stadium) to reach the target audience when viewing relevant content.
3. GeoFencing + Retargeting
Reach the super bowl attendees while they are at SoFi Stadium watching the game and retarget them after to keep your brand top of mind.
4. Social Predict
Utilize real-time social monitoring technology to reach users talking about the super bowl and sports content.
5. CTV / OTT
Leverage CTV / OTT to either complement your TV buy or reach your audience more effectively across proven channels.
6. Social Media
Target your audience across social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter leading up to and even during the game.
Getting Started: Investing Media Budget Around Tentpole Events
Think down the line about major events that you know will impact consumers, their viewing habits, and what they’re discussing online and on social media. Do some of these events coincide with your target audience? If so, consider diversifying your strategy to incorporate specific tactics and channels that will allow you to contribute to consumers’ conversations.
We’re eager to discuss how our team can implement a data-driven strategy incorporating these tentpole events. Contact us today!