Ogilvy’s Senior Strategist Annie Lim
Is drawing out the Super Bowl hype the right way to get attention?
With brands paying up to $7 million USD for a 30 second Super bowl spot, it’s no surprise that they’ll want to maximise their return on investment with sneak peaks, hype reels and teasers before the big game. But is throwing your weight behind the hype just making an expensive investment even more expensive?
For some brands it’s a chance to build momentum and shortcut into the conversation before it becomes too cluttered. A celebrity teaser can draw out an army of Jack Harlow or Elton John die-hards (depending on your preference), putting Doritos top of mind during the game.
For others the Super Bowl has become just one hallmark touchpoint to a longer campaign – like Busch Beer’s spot which was released weeks prior, kicking off a yearlong brand-building strategy.
And we’re seeing brands capitalising on the hype to tactically work around not having a spot at all – the Anytime Fitness #JustHeardAnytime competition cleverly jumps on the bandwagon without paying for the investment.
On the other hand, too much hype stands to make your moment feel lacklustre. Last year T Mobile’s Dolly Parton teasers left fans disappointed once they saw the actual ad itself. In reality, we need to be realistic about how far consumer attention spans, and whether or not we can deliver on those expectations.
Most people outside of our industry won’t seek ads out before the game. So, whilst hype can deliver attention, it almost always waters down the end result for a consumer. Ultimately no one size fits all. If the creative is great, the hype can get you bang for your buck - but beware of creating noise for your brand and taking away the novelty of your big, expensive moment.
The global phenomenon that makes people in Australia excited to see American ads, even down here in AUS
For some Aussies, the excitement of the Superbowl is the game itself. But for those who aren’t sport-inclined, the fascination of the Super Bowl is centred in just how American the whole thing is.
Huge sporting moments punctuated by equally big music moments - all powered by audacious commercialism and glorification of celebrity.
It’s the combination of everything Americans seem to worship. And in true American style, it’s too big to miss. The scale is so dissimilar to our own cultural moments that it’s become something for Aussies to ogle (and perhaps something that can fill the void).
Beyond this, how much do Aussies really care about the ads? One drawcard is the fact these ads are produced on a scale unlike anything we’re used to seeing.
And the average consumer inevitably ends up watching the best ones that get posted to TikTok and argued about on Twitter.
But it’s important to consider that most interest isn’t driven by the brand, rather the cultural references brands borrow.
Even then, is the Breaking Bad parody or the Paul Rudd cameo big enough to eclipse the cultural reset that was Rihanna’s half-time show pregnancy announcement?
While it’s the Ad Olympics for our industry, most Aussies will probably just enjoy the fun of gawking at this American spectacle.
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