3 Takeaways from the Super Bowl

Lindsey Walters

With the Super Bowl approaching, I am gently reminded that my beloved Cowboys are now out of the picture. With that being said, I can now fully focus on the other important Super Bowl aspects – snacks and commercials! From a marketing standpoint, the Super Bowl is actually something us marketers can learn from. This year while you prepare to watch the big game, pay attention to these three takeaways:

1.) It’s not all about the football. It has been said and studied that around 50% of all Super Bowl viewers are tuning in merely for the commercials. Super Bowl ads have such a widespread following, that even older ads are still getting attention. YouTube hosts past Super Bowl commercials, each with millions of views, and there are dedicated websites to see categorized years of Super Bowl ads. The fact that people tune in to the Super Bowl for advertisements & continue to engage with them seems crazy when you think about how we typically avoid commercials any other time of the year.

We pay subscription fees and/or higher monthly cable bills just to get out of watching commercials. Things like Digital Video Recording devices, Pay Per View, Netflix, and OnDemand allow you to steer clear of those 8 to 16+ minutes of ads per show. Nevertheless, we all gather around and judge the best and worst Super Bowl commercials – oh, and watch the game.

2.) It’s the King of Creating a Buzz around an Event. An event is an event. A game is a game. However, the true X factor is the ability to get people excited beforehand and even after. The Super Bowl does just that. Even now, a few weeks out from the big game, you can turn on the TV or go to almost any grocery store and find a Super Bowl promotion. There is probably a Super Bowl display of Coke or Pepsi at your grocery store, a Super Bowl giveaway, or a Super Bowl commercial teaser (yes – a commercial for a commercial). The Super Bowl does not just occur on one day. There is build up & excitement around the event. Parties are planned, snacks are made, TVs are purchased, travel is booked, and social media outlets go crazy.

3.) It has some of the highest paid advertising slots in the US.  Over 111 million people tuned into watch the Broncos and Seahawks last year. Because this game is one of the highest viewed events/programs in the US alone, there is stiff competition for advertisers. Getting in front of this massive audience comes at a price. When you search “Super Bowl Advertising” you will instantly come up with results either on the expense of ads during the Super Bowl or past super bowl commercials. Companies pay millions and millions of dollars to capitalize on the amount of people who are turning in for this game. This year, a thirty-second commercial spot will go for $4.5 million.

Advertising, no doubt, comes at a tradeoff. Companies everywhere try to get their largest target audience, but they have to be willing to pay. Once they have made their decision to purchase an advertising slot, they must then get their perfect commercial in place – no doubt, costing another pretty penny. It’s not all about the insane amounts of cash though; you have to stick out in in any form of advertising from other promotions. Your ad has to make a splash, be bold, and keep those people interested enough to take action. It takes a lot of work to prepare for this. I mean – you aren’t going to put just anything you have laying around in front of viewers, are you?

When preparing your marketing initiatives for this year, think of these three takeaways from the Super Bowl. While the Debt Industry is not the same thing as football, you should always strive to have your marketing be as big and as successful as the Super Bowl. If you are exhibiting at a conference, for example, don’t you want people to come see your booth and not just attend all the sessions? Don’t you want people talking about going to your company’s booth or what they saw/experienced while they were there? Is it worth it for your company to not only pay the price to go to the conference, but also have the best possible marketing booth, materials, and people there? You tell me.

Events happen in the debt industry all the time. Whether it is a meeting, webinar, conference, trade show, or summit, the end goal is the same: getting people to attend. Need help getting people there? Let insideARM help with your next event! We have plenty of marketing services to help promote your next event.