Forget football! For many, the Super Bowl is all about the advertisements. With over 100 million people watching, it’s the ultimate platform to launch a new product, re-energize a brand or talk about an idea. Imagine, with one ad, a marketing director can hit 45% of all adults in America during the highest profile TV event of the year. The temptation is almost too much to resist. Maybe as important, viewers aren’t tuning in just to see the football game. They want to be entertained by the ads. While that may put more pressure on ad agencies to be more clever than ever, it also allows more creative latitude in advertising messaging. But clients have to be willing to embrace the creative latitude and that can present challenges for advertisers in more conservative lines of business like accountants, investment advisors and even law firms.
Brantley Davis understands the challenge better than most. His ad agency, Brantley Davis Ad Agency, represents some of the most successful law firms in the country. Many of his client’s law firms have been around for more than thirty years, some for generations. They’ve poured tens of millions of dollars into building their brands, have a carefully cultivated reputation and are sensitive to taking creative chances.
“Our law firm marketing clients realize the court of public opinion can be harsh but it’s difficult to resist the allure of running commercials in the Super Bowl of advertising” explained Brantley Davis, President of Brantley Davis Ad Agency. “Most of our law firms run their usual commercials in the Super Bowl, calculating the cost of developing a potentially ho-hum ad for this one game isn’t worth the potential downside.”
Davis went on to suggest that law firms willing to take chances creatively test ad concepts online with services like Pollfish before running commercials in the game.
“It’s like fixing the game so your firm wins,” explained Davis. “We hedge our bets by testing talent, concepts and various iterations of ads until the audience is jubilant.”
So, should your firm run ads in the big game? The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched events of the year, with over 100 million people tuning in to watch the game, the halftime show, and the commercials. Advertising during the Super Bowl has become an incredibly expensive and competitive venture, with 30-second ads for 2023 costing between $6 and $7 million. Ads cost much less in local spot markets depending on audience size and station inventory availability. But still, buying a Super Bowl ad is a difficult decision for many companies, as there are several pros and cons to consider. On one hand, companies can reach a massive audience, but on the other, they may not be able to recoup their investment and get a good return on their advertisement. This article will examine the benefits and drawbacks of buying a Super Bowl ad for potential advertisers looking to make the best decision for their organization.
Benefits of Buying a Super Bowl Ad
There are many benefits to buying a Super Bowl ad, including increased brand awareness, increased sales, increased customer retention, and increased consideration.
Increased brand awareness – One of the biggest reasons to buy a Super Bowl ad is to increase brand awareness. The Super Bowl provides a unique opportunity to reach a massive audience, with the CBS network broadcasting the game reaching 100 million U.S. viewers. This provides a great platform to reach customers and potential customers, including those who are not currently customers.
Increased sales – An additional benefit of increasing brand awareness is the likelihood of an increase in sales. Customers who are aware of a brand are more likely to buy from that brand, compared to customers who are not aware of the brand.
Increased customer retention – Another benefit of a Super Bowl ad is the likelihood of an increase in customer retention. If customers like the advertisement, they are more likely to remain loyal to the brand and purchase from the company again.
Increased consideration – Another benefit of a Super Bowl ad is the likelihood of an increase in consideration. This means that customers who are not currently customers are more likely to consider purchasing from the brand after viewing the advertisement.
Drawbacks of Buying a Super Bowl Ad
There are several drawbacks to buying a Super Bowl ad, including decreased brand reputation, decreased value, and decreased consideration.
Decreased brand reputation – One of the biggest drawbacks to buying a Super Bowl ad is a decrease in brand reputation. The audience is generally very critical in terms of advertising, and it is likely that the Super Bowl audience will notice if the advertisement is poorly made. This may negatively affect the brand’s reputation.
Decreased value – Another drawback to buying a Super Bowl ad is a decrease in value. Customers are generally unimpressed by Super Bowl ads, and are unlikely to remember the advertisement the following day. This means that the value of the advertisement is very low, compared to the price of the advertisement.
Decreased consideration – Another drawback to buying a Super Bowl ad is a decrease in consideration. Customers who are not currently customers are less likely to consider purchasing from the brand after viewing the advertisement.
Considerations for Making a Decision
There are several factors to consider when making a decision regarding whether or not to buy a Super Bowl ad, including expected return on investment, cost of advertisement, and likelihood of success.
Expected return on investment – The expected return on investment is an important factor to consider before buying a Super Bowl ad. You must consider how much you will be spending on the advertisement before even thinking about how much you will gain from it. If you are spending a hefty amount of money on the advertisement, you should expect a substantial return on investment.
Cost of advertisement – Another consideration for buying a Super Bowl ad is the cost of the advertisement. The price of a Super Bowl ad varies from year to year, depending on how many ads are sold. Additionally, the price varies based on the time of the game during which the ad is aired.
Likelihood of success – The likelihood of success is another consideration when buying a Super Bowl ad. You must consider how likely the advertisement is to be successful, based on the audience and the advertisement itself.
Three Classic Super Bowl Ads to Inspire You
The Super Bowl is known for its iconic ads, which have been entertaining viewers for decades. From Budweiser’s iconic “Wassup” commercial to Apple’s legendary “1984” ad, the Super Bowl has seen its fair share of memorable ads. To celebrate the best of the best, we’re taking a look at the top 3 Super Bowl ads of all time. From funny to poignant and everything in between, these ads have stood the test of time and remain some of the most memorable commercials to ever grace our television screens. So, grab the popcorn and get ready to take a look at the best of the best.
Budweiser’s “Wassup” Commercial
Often considered the best Super Bowl ad of all time, Budweiser’s iconic “Wassup” commercial is an absolute must on this list. This commercial, which first aired during Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, is one of the most memorable ads in history. Featuring a group of friends drinking buds, watching the big game while talking on the phone and laughingly belting out “Wassup.” The commercial became a pop culture sensation overnight and is still one of Budweiser’s best-loved ads.
Apple’s “1984” Commercial
If you were alive in the ‘80s, you probably remember this commercial. The ad, which aired during Super Bowl XVIII in 1984, was Apple’s very first Super Bowl commercial, and it was an absolute game-changer. The commercial, which was directed by Ridley Scott and featured an unnamed heroine exploring an Orwellian dystopia, was a poignant statement. The message was that Apple’s new computer would revolutionize the future of technology and deliver freedom rather than more control. But the ad almost didn’t air. Market research indicated viewers would not respond well to the ad. It scored a 5 on a 43 point scale for effectiveness. And while Steve Jobs loved the ad, Apple’s board of directors hated it so much they instructed Jobs to sell the two minutes of airtime Apple had bought in the Super Bowl. However, Apple’s ad agency, Chiat Day, slow-walked the request and were only able to sell one of the two minutes they’d purchased. So, the ad aired and cemented Apple as a major player in the tech industry.
Coca-Cola’s “Mean Joe Greene” Commercial
Another ad from the ‘80s, the famous “Mean Joe Greene” commercial is often credited with saving the Super Bowl. The commercial first aired during Super Bowl XIV in 1980. The ad, which features football legend Joe Greene handing a Coke to a young boy, cemented Coca-Cola as a household name. The commercial, which featured one of the most iconic images of the decade, is often credited with helping the Super Bowl grow into the cultural phenomenon it is today. The commercial is widely regarded as one of the best Super Bowl ads in history, and is widely credited with changing the way advertising works in America.
Conclusion
The Super Bowl is an extremely competitive advertising platform, with 30-second ads costing around up to $7 million. These advertisements provide an excellent opportunity for brands to increase brand awareness, earn new customers, and increase sales. However, there are several drawbacks to buying a Super Bowl ad, including decreased brand reputation, decreased value, and decreased consideration. When making a decision regarding whether or not to buy a Super Bowl ad, it is important to consider the expected return on investment, cost of advertisement, and likelihood of success.