How Michael Jackson, Fox Made Super Bowl Halftime Show Cool

The turning point was 1993. For the 26 Super Bowls preceding, the halftime show had been little more than a glorified station break: 20 minutes to run to the bathroom, fetch a beer and stir the onion dip. While the occasional fading star made an appearance (Carol Channing in 1972, for example), the early halftimes—however well choreographed and well intentioned—amounted to a cultural cringe-o-rama. Fans of a certain age might remember 1989’s Elvis Presto, a Vegas-style King impersonator who did card tricks. With deeper regret, they might recall Up With People, a treacly (and overwhelmingly white) dance troupe that sang about … people. That all changed in 1993. And we have Fox to thank for it. To square off with the previous year's halftime show, a musical revue called Winter Magic that featured dancing snowflakes and Gloria Estefan, the canny executives at Fox had slated their blockbuster show In Living Color. After NBC saw millions of viewers defect to its rival, the network resolved that 1993’s halftime show had to do better. Enter Michael Jackson, whose Super Bowl 27 performance kept 133 million viewers glued to their seats as he sang, whooped and moonwalked against the Pasadena sunset. Jackson’s appearance created a template that’s still in use. A big sponsor spends big money and hires a big name—or, often, several of them—to perform. Sometimes the combos work (Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child in 2013), and sometimes they don’t (Fergie and Slash, 2011). Sometimes they’re just unfortunate, none more than 2004’s Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's “wardrobe malfunction” that became Nipplegate. Love the halftime show or hate it, there’s no disputing the marketing machine it’s become. For the artists (who are not paid), it’s a 15-minute shot at an audience of 100 million people. For sponsors—which have included Bridgestone, Disney and, since 2013, Pepsi—it’s essentially the biggest TV spot you can buy. And yet the halftime show has been a revolving door of underwriting brands. So what gives? “As a standalone vehicle, it is worth very little and far less than anybody will pay,” said Gary Stibel, founder and CEO of The New England Consulting Group, whose past clients have included the NFL and Pepsi. A brand footing the bill for halftime, Stibel said, will only get its money’s worth if it uses the show as a “major pillar” in a larger marketing architecture. Indeed, he added, the exposure that Pepsi gets in the ceremonial Gatorade dunk of the winning team’s coach is arguably as valuable as anything that happens during halftime. Even so, with the halftime show valued anywhere between $25 million and $50 million, the NFL will surely have bidders after Pepsi’s contract expires this year, when it will find a way to cram Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige onto the same stage at halftime. With luck, all wardrobes will function properly. Maroon 5's toughest gig Why did so many people dis Maroon 5’s halftime show in 2019? Was America just sick of Adam Levine peeling his shirt off? Well, no, but 2019 was a rough year for football. With millions fuming over the NFL’s debarring of Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback who first took a knee to protest America’s systemic racism, Super Bowl 53 became the radioactive byproduct. Cardi B, Jay-Z and Rihanna all reportedly turned down invitations to perform. Despite a Change.org petition begging them not to, Maroon 5 stepped into the breach—but desperately tried to sign leading acts of color to share the stage. Half a dozen refused. Finally, Big Boi and Travis Scott said yes. But the die had been cast. Critics called the show “artless,” “flavorless” and “a game everyone lost.” America's intermission The first Super Bowl halftime show in 1967 featured a marching band (1) and 22 years later, the production—starring a Vegas-style singer named Elvis Presto—had hardly improved (2). For all the money and talent that goes into the shows now, the most memorable ones are often the bloopers—including the infamous Nipplegate scandal of 2004 (3) and Left Shark going rogue in 2015 (4). At times, the talent combos are also baffling, as seen in 2011 when guitar god Slash took the stage with Fergie (5). For all the latest Super Bowl advertising news—who’s in, who’s out, teasers, full ads and more—check out Adweek’s Super Bowl 2022 Ad Tracker and the rest of our stories about the Big Game. And join us on the evening of Feb. 13 for the best in-game coverage of the commercials anywhere.

Perspective

Why the Super Bowl Halftime Show Wasn't Cool Until 1993

A 20-minute station break became a modern marketing extravaganza

Robert Klara

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Robert Klara