Do Super Bowl ads really work? I think this is a million-dollar question, pun intended. According to me, this topic is very subjective. But, you can say this without a doubt, that these ads create a lot of interest, and are talked about a lot, even after the Super Bowl. Even in school, we saw ads that were broadcasted years or decades ago as they created a huge impact.
After viewing this year’s ads myself, and doing a little bit of reading, I haven’t really reached a conclusion. A 30-second ad that aired during the last Super Bowl was viewed by an estimated 100 million Americans, but it also costed approximately $5 million. Was it worth it? Is it just overpriced entertainment? Or does it generate big sales? Some expert marketers say that these ads, when compared to other ads, are less cost-effective. And, some studies have pointed out that very few ads actually lead to increased purchases or boosted viewers’ intention to buy. I sort of agree with this.
I loved the Super Bowl ads, especially the Doritos vs Mountain Dew ad. It was great, catchy, and I think most people loved it. But, that brand just created more mind space in my case, it didn’t boost my intention to buy. I loved how both brands partnered and produced an ad, I’m sure it’s a little more cost-effective that way, and it created visual interest. However, it didn’t motivate me to go and buy.
The Tide ad has been one of the most talked-about ads post the Super Bowl, but did it motivate people to change their preferred brand? Unluckily for me, I use Tide at home, so I’m not sure if I would have changed my mind if I wasn’t using it. There is no accurate way of measuring the effectiveness of the ads, but some marketing experts say that these ads are cost-effective. According to a study, Super Bowl ads for beer and soda generally pay for themselves. One beer manufacturer earns almost $100 million more because of its ads, and that’s far more than what the ads cost.
The costs of a 30-minute slot have been increasing over the years. However, it has been a constant $5 million in the past three years, does this indicate something? Or the reason is this confusion about its effectiveness? As per research, there’s good reason that Super Bowl ads are so expensive. If the prices keep rising, they could presumably reach a point where the marginal ad is no longer profitable. But, perhaps the marketing world’s conventional wisdom, that the ads don’t work, pushes back against increases that are too steep, and allows surprisingly strong returns to persist.
According to me, Super Bowl ads are great, they get people to notice the brand. The brand is talked about a lot in the media as well as on social media platforms. The companies can experiment, and generate a lot of useful data via this. It helps create brand awareness, which is the start of the marketing process anyway. It is only step one when it comes to today’s 360-degree, digitally innovative marketing campaigns. Thus, it’s a great investment, and it might or might not generate results/ sales.
References:
https://www.wired.com/video/breaking-through-why-a-30-second-5-million-super-bowl-ad-isn-t-enough/
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-01-31/some-super-bowl-ads-are-worth-the-price
https://www.statista.com/statistics/217134/total-advertisement-revenue-of-super-bowls/