As promised, we will close our our Super Bowl ad-related Q+As and coverage on the topic in general with some thoughts from Andre Woolary, digital synthesis director at kbs+ unit, The Media Kitchen. Once again, hope you enjoyed reading the various agency perspectives on the Big Game’s advertising and aftermath. Take it away, Andre.
Which ads did you like the most this year?
The Ram Farmer ad. It was the one moment when the commercial actually commanded everyone’s attention and there was silence at our Super Bowl party. It was a departure from the humor, fast edit cuts, pop music and typical tricks seen over and over. The combination of Paul Harvey’s voice, beautiful imagery and the sentiment just made the entire commercial feel honest and authentic. Overall it was extremely well done without having to follow the formula for the Super Bowl spot.
How important are the digital tie-ins to the TV spots, i.e. mobile and social, is value increasing?
It’s absolutely critical. The TV spots need a life beyond that intangible moment on the screen. It’s the one moment that consumers are paying acute attention and anything can create a trigger for interaction (search, tweet, shazam, etc). The tie-in also doesn’t have to be incorporated into the spot itself either. There are many touch points available as people talk about the game or go view the spot again online that can activate the viewer in some way. There are several approaches but no matter what, the ad shouldn’t end once the commercial is over.
What did you think about the Pepsi/Beyoncé crowdsourced halftime show promo?
It was smart and well done. The challenge of crowdsourcing content for such a big event is it requires an aesthetic standard fit for the TV screen. The program was designed to create guardrails for the submissions to keep consumers within a box that allowed the work to be cohesive. Also everyone wants to participate/contribute and this was a platform for people to do it by introducing one of the most anticipated halftime shows. What better way to drive viewership and anticipation at the beginning of the show.
Is there an advantage or disadvantage to releasing ads to social media ahead of time?
I think its an advantage…if you’re ads are good. You will never reach everyone by releasing in advance but you will reach the right people. The people that are socially hyper active and advertising zealots. These are the ones that will see the ad in advance in order to add to the overall Super Bowl discourse. And when the time comes for it to air on the big screen, those are the people that will tell everyone to pay attention, they are the ones that will respond to tweets in reaction to it, and they are the ones that will kickstart the digital tie-ins. Ultimately putting it out there in advance allows a brand to develop an active fanbase that will drive the chatter when the rest of the world sees it.