The latest news is that The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has launched an official petition via Change.org in the hope that everyone in Las Vegas should be allowed to freely celebrate the Super Bowl on February 11th, 2024.
The campaign for the Super Bowl LVIII is titled ‘Excessive Celebration Encouraged’ and the petition is seen as a blithe attempt to make things ‘fun.’ This is because rules connected with the sport have resulted in the National Football League or NFL being nicknamed the ‘No Fun League.’
The new campaign heralds a change in advertising surrounding the game. In the past, Las Vegas was not allowed to air ads such as those that were part of its ‘What Happens Here’ campaign because of sports betting and the NFL restrictions associated with it.
The countdown
The event is anticipated with great hype as football fans in the United States gear up for an epic game. CBS, the official broadcaster, seems to have almost sold out its advertising spots with 30-second spots going for as much as $6.5 million to $7 million!
Las Vegas has been in the spotlight recently for its marketing efforts as the city leans more toward sports, made even more pronounced by a recently-built grand Spherical structure that has been used by brands like Heineken and Coca-Cola in their campaigns. The amphitheater-like entertainment experience venue is reported to comprise 160,000-square-foot spherical LED ‘immersive surface’ lights built at a cost of $2.3 billion.
The Super Bowl 2024 promotional campaign also includes an original track and music video that features Grammy-nominated artist Tobe Nwigwe and former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, adding to the excitement and general vibe.
The stats
This year (2023), over 115 American viewers watched the Super Bowl, a record in Super Bowl viewer history.
It is understandable then, why advertising slots for the event carry a hefty price tag. Its wide reach across homes in the US is almost unparalleled, and only the ‘big guns’ in the US business world can afford to fork out the cash to grab a slice of the event’s air time.
The allure associated with securing ad spots for the game centers around the fact that the right ads, done creatively, will be well talked about and even possibly make it to the list of ads that will win awards for the advertisements of the season.
Usually, ad spaces for the Super Bowl are sold months ahead, and by July this year, CBS had reportedly sold out 70% of its ad slots for the February 2024 game.
Advertising during the Super Bowl
High-quality ads are the norm, focused on creative composition, with brands usually endorsed by celebrities. The big companies that have had the budgets to advertise thus have also set aside huge production values, booking a great deal of post-commercial time and follow-ups such as press releases.
And do these efforts add value to the brands that advertise? The numbers certainly say so- at least temporarily. Historically, in the week following Super Bowl advertising, brands see a 22% increase in word-of-mouth endorsement and are mostly seen online. However, those in the know say that this rise is brief, lasting just a few days, with the long-term Return on Investment (ROI) not as significant as one hopes it will be.
Super Bowling ahead
The way to get ahead of the game (no pun intended) is to be prepared to ride on the hype that your advertising generates. Ensure that the websites surrounding your brand rank on Google Searches and that Search Engine Optimization or SEO figures are high with paid searches being established.
Also, be ready for post-event press with your representatives from your marketing team briefed and prepared to answer questions. But even this hype will not last forever, so get your action plan sorted well in advance to build on the momentum. There are sure to be inquiries and leads stemming from the Super Bowl week, so work on promotions and promotional material that can be rolled out in the aftermath of the Super Bowl to increase sales and conversions. Sustain these with loyalty strategies, etc.
Leveraging on the event
If you’re not one of those big companies that have the budget to advertise on Super Bowl spots, do not despair. There are still a myriad of other ways to derive advantages from the excitement generated by the event.
Since this is a national game watched throughout America and often becomes a family event, use this momentum to promote your brand. As families go out to celebrate and watch the game, run sensible promotions in-store or on your website. Digital media encompasses many ways in which you can leverage the event to draw attention to your brand as well. Conduct Super Bowl-related competitions, etc., to make it work.
With the big game slowly drawing closer, brainstorm with your marketing team to ride on the Super Bowl thrill. It’s not too late to launch a clever new campaign.
(Anouk De Silva)