Presidential Candidates Advertising at the Super Bowl

We are gearing up for the Super Bowl, narrowing down to the two teams who will get the chance to show up and get their game on. Which means we are also gearing up for the advertising and marketing that comes along with The Big Game. Every year the list of advertisers slowly leaks out and then spins out of control as brands release their spots closer and closer to the date.

For example, we’ve just heard that Olay will be back in the game this year, talking skin care to the women (and men) watching the game.

But an interesting new development has popped up this year, that we really haven’t seen before: Presidential Candidates. Yes, Trump and Bloomberg have each announced that they will foot the bill for a spot during the Super Bowl. Why not? The audience is huge. And it’s global.

I’ll be fascinated to not only see the spots (which we may be able to preview) but more importantly see people’s reaction. Many people have been upset in past years when brands have used the SB stage to make a political statement, or get too serious, or step outside of their product boundaries. But what happens when the “brand” advertising (a political candidate) is just that: a political statement that’s very serious. That is within their product boundaries. Will people still be upset because they feel that the SB stage is a family, fun, sports, and entertainment stage and not a political one?!? Even when it’s coming from someone running for the biggest job on the planet?!? Hmmm. Is this the place for politics? Perhaps that does in fact depend on the final piece of advertising. Depends on how the candidates choose to show up themselves.

It will be fascinating to see. We are breaking new ground here. What’s your experience? JIM