Nearly 106 million Americans watched the Super Bowl last year. This is an astonishing number, but it is even more astonishing to consider 51% of Super Bowl viewers were most interested in the advertisements, and almost all viewers are paying attention to the ads (source). This type of large, captive audience is an advertiser’s dream, and it is the reason companies have traditionally spent millions of dollars for Super Bowl TV spots (the going rate this year is said to be $3 million for a 30 second spot).
TV, however, is no longer enough. Many companies are recognizing the power of social media in leveraging their Super Bowl marketing message. It is estimated that 50-60% of advertisements this year will incorporate social media in some way.
Many companies are embracing social media, but not all companies are doing so in the same way. Social media advertising, especially on this scale, is still relatively new and brands are still working to discover the most effective techniques. Below are the ways in which companies are utilizing Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to leverage their Super Bowl advertisements.
Twitter
Several companies, including Mercedes and Audi, are incorporating Twitter into their Super Bowl advertising campaign. Mercedes is sponsoring the first-ever ‘Tweet Race,’ a race between 4 teams across the country. The catch being that the teams are ‘fueled’ by the Twitter buzz they generate. Audi is also embracing Twitter, incorporating a custom hashtag in their Super Bowl commercial. Fans who use the hashtag are eligible to win prizes from Audi.
These twitter-based promotions are great in that they are incredibly interactive. Fans become a part of the promo and interact with the companies directly. The shortcoming of these campaigns is that they require a lot from the consumer (to go out of their way to retweet these campaigns), and there is no clear, immediate benefit in doing so. Yes, fans are entered into a sweepstakes for Audi, but this seems like a long-shot to win, so it is unlikely consumers will get anything for their time.
Facebook
Other companies, such as Bud Light and Frito Lay, are turning to Facebook to leverage their Super Bowl advertising campaign. Bud Light is sponsoring an “Unlock the Spot” campaign, where fans guess the story line of the Super Bowl ads through the Facebook page. Frito Lay is putting together a “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign, where people submit videos to run in commercial spots, and then fans can vote for their favorite spot through the Facebook page.
These campaigns, much like the Twitter promotions, do a great job of interacting with fans. Again, fans become a part of the promotion. Another valuable element of these promotions is that the casual fan sees an immediate return. After voting on Facebook, they have incentive to track the Super Bowl commercials and see if their favorite spot was used.
YouTube
YouTube probably provides the most direct way for companies to leverage their Super Bowl ads because the companies can directly post their videos online. Volkswagen has already generated substantial buzz using YouTube, having posted its Super Bowl ad online earlier this week. The video already has more than 10 million views. VW brilliantly capitalized on the excitement leading up to the Super Bowl by releasing the video before the game.
YouTube is a great platform for getting a specific message out to consumers. The primary drawback, however, is its limited fan interaction capabilities.
When all is said and done, I think a successful campaign will utilize all three platforms. Brands that can think outside the box (such as VW), and use each platform creatively will be the most successful.