Advertisers were vying for success in this year’s Super Bowl that took place on Sunday 11th February. Food and beverage brands dominated the line-up with newcomers to Superbowl like Drumstick, Poppi, and Pepsi’s Starry soda joining established advertisers such as Reese’s, Budweiser, and Pringles. Despite the hefty price tag for a 30-second spot, plus additional costs for ad creation, companies are willing to invest over $20 million per spot for the potential benefits. Effective ads can amass attention long before and after the game through teasers, trailers, and post-game reviews, making the investment worthwhile for most advertisers.
Consumer Opinion versus Engagement Metrics
State Farm’s ‘Like a Good Neighbaaa’ clinched the USA Ad Meter title with a score of 6.68 out of 10 as voted for by on-line consumer rankings. Celebrities Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito helped gain this place in Super Bowl history.
Yet which commercials truly resonated with viewers? We must also look at rankings driven by real-time engagement data to uncover the essence of impactful advertising.
EDO a TV outcomes company, examines Super Bowl commercials to gauge their ability to boost consumer engagement – they analyse real-time consumer engagement data post-airing, and predict business outcomes across industries. Each ad’s performance is then benchmarked against the median-performing in-game spot that is ranked at 100.
Findings from EDO’s Engagement Index
Automotive Brands Excelled
International car brands capitalised on the absence of the three major U.S. automakers (Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford) with four foreign car brands featured in this year’s game, all creating more engagement than the average Super Bowl ad. Notably, Volkswagen, who some have accused of hiding their Nazi past in their ad, have tapped into nostalgia, achieved a remarkable 1,594% increase in engagement compared to the median spot. This achievement propelled them to the top of the EDO index, excluding advertisements for upcoming films.
Temu spared no expense in securing its triumph
Temu, the Chinese on-line retailer repeatedly aired the same animated ad ‘Shopping like a Billionaire’. Despite receiving criticism for their business model of producing inexpensive products for sale, their advertising paid off with the advertisement appearing in the top 10 twice for EDOs rankings.
Celebrity presence and humour pulls in the hype
We can never underestimate the pull of big celebrity A-listers and Beyonce never fails to bring in the numbers. The amusing Verizon ad shows Beyonce employing a variety of humorous tactics to break Verizon’s network and it has been reported that she experienced a huge surge in her Instagram following. The timing of the ad being in conjunction with a new Beyoncé album announcement likely helped generate interest for both the singer and Verizon.
Uber Eats featured a star-studded cast including Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Usher, the Beckhams, and Jelly Roll serving as a reminder to viewers that Uber Eats delivers not just take-out food, but also a wide range of items from flowers to office supplies.
Dunkin Donuts engagement (613 EDO Index)) achieved way above the median Superbowl ad continuing with performances from Ben Affleck who surprises Jennifer Lopez with a Hip Hop dance performance backed with the likes of Matt Damon and NFL Tom Brady. The franchise released the “DunKings” tracksuits worn by the celebrities for sale on its website on Monday morning, listed at $60 each, and selling out in minutes.
New Entrants caused a stir
New and rejuvenated soda brands also made a notable impact. Poppi, a health-conscious soda option, caught viewers’ interest with a bit of “soda shaming” and came in at a huge 1661 EDO index.
Pepsi’s Starry released their ad ahead of schedule, featuring the rising pop star (Ice Spice), which resulted in engagement levels surpassing the average Super Bowl ad.
Alcohol Brands didn’t take centre stage
AB InBev’s, who’s brands include Stella, Budweiser, Corona…, exclusive rights to the Super Bowl ended at last year’s game. However only four alcohol brands took to advertising this year and Budweiser emerged as the standout, with the return of their beloved Clydesdales driving engagement but only reaching 194 on the EDO index in comparison to other notable brands.
Taylor Swift Effect
And we can’t not mention the Taylor Swift effect that has swept onto the Superbowl audience. With her much publicised relationship with Kansas Chiefs Travis Kelce meaning that advertisers were expecting an increased chance of female viewership. Taking advantage of this we saw ads from brands like CeraVe, Dove and e.l.f. all of which slightly underperformed against other more traditional Superbowl brands pulling in just a median amount of engagement.
To the end, the Super Bowl continues to be a pinnacle event for advertisers, with this year’s lineup showcasing a mix of established brands and newcomers vying for consumer attention. Despite the hefty investment required for ad spots, companies are willing to shell out millions for the opportunity to capture the massive audience. While consumer opinion, as measured by platforms like the USA Ad Meter, provides valuable insight into the popularity of ads, real-time engagement metrics, such as those provided by EDO, offer a deeper understanding of advertising effectiveness.
Overall, the Super Bowl remains a platform where creativity, star power, and strategic messaging converge to create memorable advertising moments that resonate with audiences long after the final whistle!
To discuss your next TV or video content project with us, get in touch at kim.mclellan@hunterlodge.co.uk
