Is Your Brand Ready For The Super Bowl?
Although the main focus is on the Patriots and Falcons, it is an important weekend for brand marketing too. The audience for last year's game reached nearly 112 million viewers, and Super Bowl 51 is expected to be even bigger.
Many brands have already launched teasers or their full advert for the event and 21st Century Fox has paid $5million for a 30-second spot on Sunday. It’s a big weekend for brands.
The likes of Budweiser and Skittles have already been making headlines with their ads and Snickers will be the first brand to stage a live advert during the Super Bowl, during the first break of the third quarter. But whether you’re a 2017 Super Bowl advertiser or not, you have to look beyond the big screen. What can brands do to amplify their advertising strategy around the event?
A joined and reactive approach is integral for Super Bowl success. A brilliant advert during the game might make heads turn in that moment in time, however it will no longer be enough to cut through the noise of so many other brands speaking about the game. An integrated campaign, using multiple channels and touch points is the key to success.
Real-time is the real deal
Marketing and consumer interactions live in the moment. Brands that don’t react in real-time risk looking out-dated and behind. Being current is important to make an impact, especially during an event like the Super Bowl where hijack marketing is top of the agenda. I’m excited to see the results of Snickers’ live advert – this kind of innovation is where the industry is headed.
Creativity is key
A personalised campaign will help you stand out from the crowd. Consumers react positively to personal and emotional interactions from brands and many companies are yet to implement personalisation into their engagement with consumers. When looking at email, 36% of all emails sent still fail to include any form of personalisation.
Follow the trends
After events such as the Super Bowl, brands should ensure all parts of their communications are relevant and reactive. If your content is extraneous to activity from the event and your associated campaign, it will appear disjointed and confuse time-poor consumers. The automated approach alone is no longer acceptable. Make a personal connection and that will keep eyes on screens.
Learn and evaluate
Budweiser’s immigration-focused advert this year is a far cry from their cute puppy adverts a few years ago. Evaluation is really important. If last year’s campaign wasn’t a success, make the changes to ensure the next one is. It’s important to assess whether your campaigns are delivering on the original KPIs set. If they aren’t, make the necessary changes to deliver success next time.