Super Bowl LVI 2022 – Advertising Roundup

Let’s be honest, without Tom Brady, we’re all really just here for the commercials. 😀

It’s one of the biggest days in sports. I’m always fascinated by the brands that advertise during one of the most expensive televised events and the marketer in me enjoys watching for the mix of supporting digital channels (i.e. social media) during the game time.

Some quick audience stats:

• More than 184 million US adults plan to tune in to the game, per the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. 
• When asked why they tune in, 21% of consumers said that the commercials are the most important part, according to the NRF. The game is most important to 40% of viewers, and the halftime show comes in at 18%.
• According to NBC, multiple 30-second commercials were sold for $7 million this year, up from the $5.5 million CBS sold for the same amount of ad time in 2021. NBC noted that rates are up 20% since 2018 and that 40% of the game’s advertisers are new this year.
• Brands looking to advertise during the game should be mindful of generational differences in viewing, said Margaret Johnson, a partner at GS&P, told the Los Angeles Times. “You’ve got your boomers and Gen X, who are definitely locked in and watching the commercials as they are running live on TV. But then you’ve got millennials and Gen Z viewers, who are a little more distracted. They’re multitasking. They’re on their phones. So you need something for everyone.”

More than 30 advertisers will be making their Super Bowl debut this year.

eMarketer article, “Super Bowl ad spending shows event remains crucial for brands”

“Industries that struggled during the first year of the pandemic are making a big return. Automakers such as General Motors, consumer packaged goods manufacturers like Procter & Gamble, and travel agencies including Kayak have all bought ads for the game” (eMarketer).

IMHO, these were the best Super Bowl ad spots of 2022

Coinbase

I award full creative points to the early ad spot by Coinbase for this gem. Yes, I was one of those people who took out her phone and scanned the QR code, why not? I wanted to see what they had to offer. The landing page was nothing to write home about. I learned later, the technique was so popular that the app itself crashed. That’s probably a good reminder to all product teams load or stress test your app especially when you know it’s going to be accessible to 184M eyeballs and mobile phones at a given time.

Google Pixel 6

This one aired during the 3rd quarter of the game and really caught my eye. The creative agencies for Google are top notch. This commercial advertised a feature of the device that is both relevant and relatable to consumers.

Toyota – Keeping Up with “The Joneses”

A fun and memorable way to market an established car brand especially to this type of broad viewing audience.

BMW – electric car

Another known car brand, I loved this commercial too but noticed how it was much more targeted to an older demographic.

Rocket Mortgage & Homes

A tip of the cap to the creative minds behind this commercial, with the housing market on fire this past year due to the Pandemic, I think this ad resonated with a lot of folks out there.

Amazon Alexa – Mind Reader

It always helps to have one or multiple recognizable celebrities in your ad to make viewers more interested in watching. This one was fun because both Colin and Scarlet had recently gotten married and it’s way more interesting to get to see what an overly attentive listening device would be like for these newlyweds.

Doritos & Cheetos – Flaming hot

This has a couple key classics: cute animals, a whimsical situation, it’s set to a memorable piece of music, and features tasty products a lot of people are likely consuming right now!

Lays – Stay Golden

Let’s just keep riding the snack train. Lays dropped a really fun ad for their product using celebrities and a hilarious scenario reminding us to Stay Golden.

Jurassic World Dominion – Theatrical Trailer

I mean, who ISN’T excited to see this (final?) installment of Jurassic World?

Hellmann’s – Food Waste

I thought this one was kind of random but I ended up liking it as it progressed. Again, celebs, especially one’s in the current spotlight are a key ingredient for a highly watchable ad during a time when attention spans are very short.

Budweiser – A Clydesdale’s Journey

Admittedly, I’m a sucker for horses and dogs (especially golden labs and retrievers). I love that Bud kept the theme of their stars having an unspoken connection (it’s also brilliant because the story is very easy to follow especially if you’re at one of those loud Super Bowl parties where you can’t hear the commercials). If you remember, in previous years, their Super Bowl ad spot featured a Clydesdale horse and a puppy. In a way, since they first aired this duo in their campaign of “Best Buds” in 2014, the puppy has grown up. The Budweiser commercials have always been on the heartwarming side and message that came across to me in this particular ad was encouraging and inspiring: we’re all always on a journey and even if/when we’re down, we’re not out of the game. With time, rest and support from those in your corner you will get back up again.

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That was fun! Let’s do it again next year!