Super Bowl LVI Insights
By Julie Burke
It’s that time of year again – Super Bowl! Every year, regardless of which teams are playing, the “Big Game” continues to be the most watched event on television. This one is expected to be no different, with viewership for the game on Sunday, February 13th expected to be over 100 million, according to NBCUniversal.
But let’s face it, we’re all watching for the commercials, amiright? Well, except me. I’m watching this year for the amazing half time show featuring Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J Blige. My Gen X insides are exploding for this one! But I digress – back to the ads.
After watching samples and teasers of this year’s ads, one thing is clear – it’s OK to be funny again. After a year of emotional, serious, almost depressing ads, this year we are seeing national brands trying to put the pandemic behind us. Advertisers have turned to comedians and big star power to pitch their products. Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd (People’s 2021 Sexiest Man Alive – hello!) partner up for Lay’s Potato Chips. Mila Kunis and Demi Moore – one the current and one the former wife of Ashton Kutcher – appear together for AT&T. And comedian Kevin Hart will be seen in an ad for Sam’s Club.
Typical Super Bowl advertisers will be in the game this year – cars, beer, snacks etc. But there will also be a slew of advertisers from some new categories like cryptocurrencies and sports betting. NBC has sold over 70 commercial slots nationally with the average going rate of about $6.5 million. In local markets, each affiliate has 10 :30 slots inside the game that go for a fraction of the national cost. It seems like a small percentage, but it can be a hefty investment for local businesses.
It’s a small price to pay to have that many viewers see your brand. In 2021, the Rochester DMA produced a 66 Household Share for the game. This means that 66% of all televisions that were turned on Sunday night February 7th were tuned to the Super Bowl. That’s equal to over 260,000 homes, with, in most cases, more than one person watching. That’s a lot of eyeballs! With that many people, advertisers often use the Super Bowl as a place to launch a big campaign or debut new creative. You’re likely to see the same commercials running for weeks after the “Big Game.”
Whether it’s for the athleticism, or the ads, or, if you’re like me, the amazing concert sandwiched between some sporting event, Super Bowl LVI is sure to entertain. I’ll be keeping track of which ads I like best – I hope you will, too!