Superbowl Commercials

Charlie Merry
Prof. Popovich
Blog 3: Super Bowl
Marketing
Words: 655




Another year means another much anticipated Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is without question the most anticipated sporting event of the year in the United States. Over 100 million households tuned in to watch the Denver Broncos battle the Seattle Seahawks for NFL supremacy. The Super Bowl is appealing even to non-football fans due to the popularity of the commercials. This game could also be viewed as a Super Bowl for marketers and the companies whom they promote. Companies prepare all year to make commercials that will be positively received. Making a dud commercial is an extremely costly mistake, a 30 second slot of time will set you back $4 million dollars. However, the sheer size of the viewing audience makes this an investment that could certainly pay off in a big way.


People will talk about their favorite commercials as much as they'll talk about the game in the next few days.


 Companies try to make witty commercials that will utilize the four p's of marketing: product, place, price, and promotion. Product involves where and when can you get across your marketing messages to your target market? Consumers want to know how your product will meet their specific needs. For example, Volkswagen had a terrific ad this year that was both funny and effective. The setting involved a father and daughter taking a drive together, the daughter then suggests that whenever a Volkswagen reaches 100,000 miles, a German engineer gets his wings. German engineers are then shown spontaneously sprouting wings while producing the new edition of Volkswagen's car. This commercial is likely targeted to adult couples who value longevity and quality products. The commercial was funny, and also got across their central message. People watched the ad because it was funny and original, but people will buy their cars because of their image as a quality vehicle.




Place involves where consumers will look for and ultimately, buy your product. Chobani, the yogurt company, had an excellent spot that involves place. Customers are strolling through a general store, and are then shown running outside the store in terror when they spot a bear roaming the aisles. The bear proceeds to destroy almost everything in the store until he finds what he's looking for. Once the bear finds the chobani yogurt, he approaches the counter, apparently trying to purchase the yogurt. This ad shows the consumer where you can buy chobani, while also being a commercial worth remembering and talking about. Furthermore, the ad emphasized how their ingredients are all natural (perhaps why the wild animal wanted it). Chobani showed the consumers where to purchase their product, while also showing their environmental sustainability.


Price involves the amount that consumers must pay to purchase your product. Increasingly, companies are trying to make affordability a focal point of their product. Smart car had a terrific ad that showed the affordability of their product. The ad showcased that their car is made for urban environments and obviously, receives terrific gas mileage. Smart cars are good on gas, and you can get one for payments of $139 a month. Smart car sold to their demographic, while showcasing the low cost of owning a smart car.


Promotion involves communicating the benefits of your product to the consumers. Obviously, the marketers of these companies chose TV commercials during the Super Bowl to promote their products. Marketers prepare all year for the Super Bowl, as almost the entire country is watching the spectacle. Creating a successful ad can pay large dividends for your company. Super Bowl commercials are a topic of discussion, however, it's usually only the really solid commercials that are talked about the next day. Overall, I didn't think the Super Bowl commercials this year were that good. Despite this, that didn't mean I didn't watch them and I will remember the companies who made the rare winner commercial this year.