The Super Bowl -- The Marketers' Holiday
Sure, I know that there's a football game in there somewhere. Or at least that's where it all started. But the Super Bowl has become WAY more than just a championship game between two rival teams from two rival cities. It's become a holiday, and a marketers' holiday to be exact. And we OWN it!
Sure, we have other holidays too, like:
- New Year's Eve (and The Golden Globes) for champagne brands.
- Valentine's Day for chocolate and flower brands.
- Back to School for the clothing and school supplies brands.
And Christmas, well, it's become more about the sales than anything else (really not what any of us ever wanted).
For marketers, no other holiday compares to The Super Bowl where we literally celebrate brands from any category or industry. First it was the commercial breaks where brands would debut their new advertising with incredibly high production budgets -- competing for the most play-back after the game. YouTube even has a channel where you can view all the advertising after the game. It's a fun part of the annual tradition.
Papa John's pizza started early this year -- running advertising weeks ahead of the Super Bowl advertising $10 pizzas if you order during the game.
And of course the in-store displays of snack foods and beverages, where brands compete to get on the Super Bowl buffet table (the home tail gate). Huge budgets put around price discounting and thematic displays to get shoppers' attention in the weeks prior to the game. The consumer package good brands just can't get enought of it.
Ever been to one of the games? You can test drive the newest car right in the parking lot (you just have to swerve around the branded tail gate parties).
The branding opportunities keep evolving. Now it's just as much about brands surrounding the Super Bowl. Social media has kicked in with Facebook posts and tweets that are as much a part of the Super Bowl experience as the game itself, without even turning on the tv. I wrote back in December how Pepsi was going to take their media money and move it from Super Bowl time slots to social media activity around the event.
It's a marketing dream to have so many options to reach consumers on a single day. The result? Well for marketers its become our day to shine. And it's also become the single largest day of "snack food" consumption and the second largest day of alcohol consumption (second only to Halloween).
No offense to the football fans, but this has become our holiday.
What's your experience? Jim.