Super Bowl 2024 Advertisers Bet Big on Celebrities, Social Media and Animal Magnetism
A quick survey of what’s already known about Super Bowl LVIII commercials reveals that celebrities, social media and tried-and-true content will make their presence known. Addictive food and beverages also figure prominently in ads during the Feb. 11 Kansas City Chiefs-San Francisco 49ers game. There also may be a Taylor Swift effect in play, with at least a couple of women-focused ads and several female celebs appearing.
Franchises, both established and emerging, could benefit from enacting a page or two from Super Bowl advertisers’ playbooks. After all, these brands are placing huge bets – with ads costing as much as $7 million for 30 seconds of time – and want to hedge those bets with as much of a sure thing as possible for the huge viewing audience. How huge? The 2023 Super Bowl had 115 million pairs of eyeballs on screens, according to Statista.com.
Like Super Bowl advertisers, franchises already have found value in hitching their marketing wagons to various types of stars: Dunkin’ recently tapped Ben Affleck and Grammy-winning rapper Ice Spice; McDonald’s teamed with rapper Travis Scott; rapper Megan Thee Stallion pitches for Planet Fitness. NBA standout Steph Curry was one of many professional athletes starring in recent Subway ads. So, a lot of smart money has been invested in celebrity partnerships… because they deliver.
The Taylor Swift Effect
And with apologies to the aforementioned headliners, nobody’s bigger than Taylor Swift these days. Her appearance at the game, rooting for the Chiefs and her boyfriend/their star receiver, Travis Kelce, could have swayed Dove Body Wash to re-up for a Super Bowl ad after a nearly two-decade hiatus, CBS speculated.
Ad Week detailed that the Dove ad will focus on body positivity. The publication downplayed Swift’s likely influence, though, pointing out that women typically make up 45 to 50% of the games’ viewers every year, yet still allowing that Swift might give those numbers a bump in the 2024 Super Bowl. She already boosted NFL ratings as she cheered for Kelce in the Chiefs-Buffalo Bills playoff game, Ad Week said. That game drew 50 million-plus viewers, a 10% uptick over a similar match-up in 2023.
Another feminine brand possibly lured into Swift’s reflected “glow” is e.l.f. cosmetics. It will promote its Halo Glow Liquid Filter, which went viral on TikTok.
Of course, it’s entirely possible, but as yet unknown, whether Swift might star in a Super Bowl ad herself. After all, she has appeared in television commercials for Apple Music, AT&T, Capital One, Diet Coke and Direct TV.
Eats and Drinks
For sure, however, a bevy of snack and beverage makers are spending big-time for their spots during the game. Perennial advertiser M&Ms will be back, for instance, Ad Age reports, as will Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (with its second-ever Super Bowl ad) and other candies.
Many of the food and drink brands are V.I.P.-packing as part of their proven value in driving purchases, Ad Age stated. Michelob Ultra’s ad includes Lionel Messi, NFL legend Dan Marino and Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis. Bud Light taps Grammy-nominated rap singer-songwriter-actor Austin Richard Post/aka Post Malone along with retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, ABC News reported. Coors Light will bring back its Silver Bullet train, recast as the Chill Train, AND – in a pitch for younger generations — is giving fans an opportunity to ride the train virtually by means of computer-generated images, according to Ad Age.
Move over, beer… soft drinks will have a presence, too. PepsiCo will push its Starry carbonated drink, with help from Ice Spice, who’s a TikTok sensation. Starry is trying to make inroads among Sprite fans, Ad Age reported.
Popeyes and More
To go with those beverages, Popeyes will introduce its wings in the fast-food brand’s first-ever Super Bowl ad. The wings, in Ghost Pepper, Sweet ‘N Spicy, Honey BBQ, Roasted Garlic Parmesan and Signature Hot flavors, will be part of its permanent menu, according to an ABC News report. In a teaser for the Popeyes ad, comedian-actor Ken Jeong emerges from an icy chamber that states “Frozen-1972.”
David and Victoria Beckham are hawking Uber Eats; Jeremy Renner, after recovering from his near-fatal snowplow accident in January 2023, leaps and twirls for Silk. Tina Fey takes a star turn for Booking.com, Forbes reports, and Kris Jenner pitches for Oreos.
Celebs vs. Animals: Who Wins?
Despite all that star power, here’s a caveat: Viewers still seem to favor animals over celebrities. A January Ad Age-Harris Poll found that although 53% of Gen Z respondents give a thumbs-up to celebrity endorsements, animals rule the admosphere, with 47% of all demographics listing animals as their preference as central players in commercials.
Budweiser got that memo, and the Clydesdales will prance again… with a co-starring yellow Labrador retriever. In addition to the Clydesdales, Entertainment Weekly says another of the Super Bowl’s all-time best advertisers will return: the E-Trade baby.
The Takeaway
But the NFL isn’t averse to newcomers in the Super Bowl 2024 festivities. Ad Age said the league is partnering with micro-influencers such as schoolteacher Mary Martinez, known for her football-themed lessons in her third-grade class. The publication also said the NFL will showcase creators like artist Devon Rodriguez, who will demonstrate his super-fast portrait sketching as part of the NFL Honors awards presentation before the game.
The bottom line for marketers is that less-pricey influencers and screen talent, carefully chosen for relevance to a brand, also can be key players in brand building.
