A Checklist for Brands Before Committing to Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is a cultural touchstone. Whether you like football or are just there for the snacks, it’s bigger than the Big Game itself. Yet, like clockwork, marketers get into a back-and-forth over the same question every year: Is the Super Bowl still worth it? As one of the most-watched events of the year and an advertising bonanza in its own right, it has been an epicenter of global brands debuting their million-dollar creative. When new opportunities beyond broadcast commercials arose, such as digital, experiential and creator partnerships, we started to see fractures of confidence as to whether the Super Bowl merited the investment. A lot has changed over the years: how we watch, what we watch, who we follow, what catches the attention of viewers and sparks conversation. Those changes require brands to evolve their thinking and approach. The Super Bowl is worth it if brands adapt how they play the game. All roads to winning creative and campaigns are paved by strategically designing a game plan that tackles the who, what, when, where and why. So let’s break down how to make the Big Game deliver big wins. Adapting the playbook Does your game plan need an update? Here are four things to keep in mind. One, anticipation is gone, making creativity everything. In the absence of curiosity, creative ideas and execution need to deliver more than ever. Two, broadcast is not enough. Performance will come from a fuller ecosystem of companion content and experiences. Three, real-time play calling is a must. Proof? Oreo’s "Dunk in the Dark." And lastly, you don’t have to do what you’ve always done. See: Pepsi and the halftime show. The four downs to extracting value Relevance: While the appeal is scale and reach, the reality is your brand is not for everyone, so get crisp on who it is you’re hoping will see, enjoy and talk about your ad. This is the foundation of what you’re buying, what the creative will be and the outcomes you anticipate. Creative purpose: Is this ad specifically for the Super Bowl or meant to have longevity? Is this a launch platform or tailored to the ephemeral moment? Be clear on which so the creative is designed to match. Format: You don’t need half a minute to be memorable. Let us all remember the great Tubi prank of 2023. Cultural conversation: It’s not just about being buzzy or trending. It’s about showing you get the culture and are a part of it. That manifests in creative, channel selection and real-time social, plus expanded activations, experiences, partnerships and content. If you want to be in the moment, be about the moment and show how your brand connects. Super Bowl 58 Ad Tracker: Complete List of 2024 Super Bowl Commercials Flags on the play Don’t be that brand. Avoid these fumbles: Showing up for the sake of showing up—there is no honor in a participation trophy. Pandering with creative to meet the moment but straying from your brand and audience. Following a creative template because “it works,” making it impossible to tell your brand apart from the next. Thinking one 30-second spot is going to change everything. The Super Bowl is a bellwether for industry indicators beyond this moment: how brands invest or divest, how they choose to activate and ways they measure impact. Budgets are limited, while options are abundant. What marketers need to decide isn’t whether the game is worth it, but if it’s right for their brand. Every brand should be able to answer the following before hitting the field: Why are you doing it? What are you hoping to gain or achieve? How will you measure and validate success? Can you show up in a way no one else can? Does this moment provide something no other moment can? Investment in anything requires planning for everything. The Super Bowl can score big for your brand if the game plan is tailored to the audience, creative and channel strategy needed for a touchdown.

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Super Bowl Ads Are Still Worth It, but You Need a Game Plan

Winning creative and campaigns need just as much strategy as the Big Game

Jen Kling

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Jen Kling