The Super Bowl is the biggest day in American sports.It’s also one of the most lucrative days in U.S. advertising.
Unsurprisingly, some of the world’s biggest brands are willing to shell out millions of dollars for Super Bowl commercials.
But what are Super Bowl commercials and why do we care so much about them?
Best Super Bowl Commercial Trends
What Are super bowl commercials?
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched television events of the year. People tune in to watch the game and stay tuned in for the commercials. The Super Bowl has been nicknamed “The Big Game” and “The Granddaddy of Them All.”
Super Bowl Sunday is an unofficial holiday in America, and the commercials are part of the fun. For those watching at home, the ads are often as much a part of the day as watching the teams play on the field.
The commercials during this time are some of the most expensive to produce, but there is no doubt that it’s worth it.
Companies spend millions on-air time because they know that viewers will see their ads and remember them long after the game has finished.
According to a survey conducted by AdWeek, 51% of all Americans who watch football will tune into at least one ad during the course of watching a game.
It’s estimated that around 110 million people watch at least part of one game every year, which means that around 57 million people will see at least one commercial.
This number rises each year, so it’s safe to assume that more than 50 million people will see a commercial this year.
What Are Super Bowl Commercials?
There are several reasons why Super Bowl commercials are so popular.
They’re unique. Most Americans watch at least part of the Super Bowl every year, making it a great place to advertise your products and services.
But there’s a catch: only thirty-second ads are allowed during the game. The sheer volume of advertising space makes these ads more valuable than those shown during other televised sporting events.
In fact, according to the New York Times, a 30-second ad during this year’s game cost an average of $4 million – $3 million more than an ad shown during last year’s game!
They’re funny. Some people tune in for the football, but others tune in for the commercials. If you’ve ever watched a regular commercial break, you know that most commercials aren’t very exciting or interesting.
Super Bowl commercials, on the other hand, are funny and exciting to watch.
Trends And Themes Super Bowl Commercials
If you’re a business owner, the Super Bowl may be one of the most important days of your year.
After all, it’s the biggest event in American sports, and the average Super Bowl audience is over 110 million viewers.
That’s why some of the world’s most popular brands spend millions on 30 seconds of airtime to create their own cultural phenomenon.
It’s no secret that Super Bowl commercials are getting more expensive every year.
A 30-second slot during this year’s game cost an estimated $5 million and for good reason…4 out of 5 Super Bowl ads generate a positive ROI for marketers!
That means that for just $30 per second, these businesses are receiving $18 from each viewer purchasing or learning more about their brand.
Our Favorite Super Bowl Commercials
Super Bowl commercials are as big a part of the game as the touchdown, and we looked for a few good ones to share.
Tide, with its “It’s a Tide Ad” campaign, kicked off the action by taking on its own critics with an homage to NFL Films.
“The Scarecrow” shows that even superheroes have fears and insecurities–and that Tide can help overcome them.
Tide isn’t the only one getting meta this year. Doritos has two ads that take fun shots at advertising itself (and Doritos).
One is a dead-on parody of GoDaddy’s spots. The other is a mock-PSA about Americans’ addiction to snacks.
Budweiser’s commercial is both heartwarming and hilarious as it tells the story of a horse/man who truly loves his Clydesdale.
The horse’s facial expressions alone make it worth watching!
Doritos also has another spot featuring a pair of kids who are obsessed with creating Dorito-based sculptures, including one based on the Mona Lisa. Meanwhile, their father is too busy playing video games to notice them.
The ultimate sculpture: A Dorito version of Michelangelo’s David–which takes Dad by surprise when he first sees it.
Will These Super Bowl Commercial Trends Be Part Of Our Advertising Future?
If you love football, you’ll be watching the big game on February 5 just as much for the commercials as for the competition.
In fact, a recent survey shows that people care about the ads almost as much as the actual game.
With a record-breaking 111.5 million viewers last year, it’s easy to see why advertisers are willing to spend millions of dollars on a 30-second commercial slot.
Although there is no way to accurately predict what will happen in the future, we can look at some trends and make educated guesses about what we might see this year.
Branded Entertainment/Original Content Ads
A 30-second commercial spot during the Super Bowl reaches more than 100 million people, making it an affordable way for companies to create original content, like an episode of a TV series or movie trailer.
Non-Brand Name Advertising
The days of non-branded commercials airing during the Super Bowl are over and have been replaced by major brands with high-name recognition.
With so many ways to access content these days, brands must do more than rely on TV spots in order to connect with customers.
5 Trends To Watch In Super Bowl Commercials
In terms of sheer reach, the Super Bowl is hard to beat. Every year, a massive television audience tunes in to watch the game (or just to see the commercials).
Many of those people also spend time on their computers, phones, and tablets during breaks between plays.
Companies leverage this mass-market appeal by buying commercial spots for the game — not just beer and car companies, but also retailers and restaurants.
The spot prices for Super Bowl commercials have been steadily increasing over the past few years.
Last year, NBC charged an average of $4.5 million per 30-second spot in the big game — up from an average of $3.8 million in 2012 and $3.5 million in 2011.
But before they hand over their cash, companies need to make sure they’re getting what they pay for out of their Super Bowl commercial buys — and that the moves will pay off for them down the line.
What Is The Most Watched Super Bowl Commercial?
What is the most watched Super Bowl Commercial? Well, the most watched Super Bowl commercial isn’t really a commercial at all. It’s an ad that was never aired on television.
Titled “1984”, it was a 60-second commercial for Apple Computer created by Ridley Scott Associates. It cost $900,000 to produce and was never used because Apple felt it was too controversial.
The ad was leaked onto the Internet in 1997 and is now arguably one of the most famous commercials of all time. It was named by USA Today as the best Super Bowl commercial in history.
In a nutshell, the ad portrays a totalitarian state where an oppressive Big Brother figure rules over citizens who are forced to engage in mindless activities like exercising and parading while listening to a propaganda announcement.
A female athlete suddenly throws down her dumbbells in defiance of this authority and escapes into the woods, where she comes across a group of people huddled around an old Apple computer.
They break into song and dance, with lyrics like “Think different” and “You can say no”. The ad implies that a revolution will begin with people choosing to buy Apple products rather than those made by IBM, which is portrayed as the villain in this story.