You’ve probably seen the exciting and engaging Super Bowl commercials. No matter how much you hate ads, watching one for the first time will make you want to skip the game just to see the rest. The case is no different for casual NFL viewers and hardcore fans, they all wonder – “what’s a Super Bowl Sunday without the commercials?” In all the seriousness, that’s understandable!
In the just concluded Super Bowl 2019, Pepsi, NFL, and Verizon won big in their marketing strategies. Not only were their commercials captivating, but they also performed quite well across different social media channels during the big game, taking their sales through the roof. But why? Well, these brands had one little secret – they stuck to some pretty definitive business marketing strategies. Before we dive in too deep, let’s briefly look at how the three brands performed.
Top 3 Super Bowl 2019 Ads
Pepsi
Leveraging three stars, Steve Carell, Cardi B, and Lil Jon, this was hands down the best ad this year. It’s far more entertaining than most and just feels a bit edgy. Don’t be surprised to find yourself repeating the weird “OKAAAY” catchphrase. According to InfluecerDB, the commercial got 218,627 Instagram likes on game-day and generated $104,888 worth of earned media value, scooping the trophy for earned media value on Instagram. While it isn’t sales-oriented in any way, the call to action is super convincing and leaves everyone believing that taking Pepsi is okay.
Verizon
Verizon’s “The Team That Wouldn’t Be Here” generated the biggest online buzz, according to analytics platforms. On both YouTube and iSpot.tv, the commercial won the video game and took home the #VideReplay award from #Brandbowl for being the most replayed ad. In just a single tweet, the ad drove the most views, winning big across the digital ecosystem.
NFL
Another brand that dominated Super Bowl 2019 ads is NLF. Their commercial earned a total of 11,083,875 likes and generated $3.1 million of earned media value (value created by virality and buzz around a brand).
Major Takeaways
Learning from the three brands and others that performed incredibly well, it’s clear that you need to have your finger on the pulse of interest in business marketing. In other words, you have to identify what’s trending and ride the wave to amplify your brand exposure. That’s how Bud Light capitalized on HBO’s famous series “Game of Thrones,” and attained massive recognition across the digital landscape.
Even though it’s vital to differentiate your brand from the competition, it’s paramount that you do it creatively. A good rule of thumb is to avoid bashing the competitors directly as it leaves a bad impression of you. That’s one marketing strategy that made the Pepsi ad stand out. While they did acknowledge the existence a top competitor (Coke), they didn’t emphasize on crushing them in any way. Instead, they focused on answering the universal question – is Pepsi okay?
Obviously, no one wants to be bombarded with a direct sales pitch. In its place, tell a short, humorous, and emotional story; this will make people resonate with your brand. That’s another marketing strategy that is as clear as daylight in most Super Bowl VIII Commercials, from Diapers, Doritos, to Microsoft.
Web Content Development
There’s no doubt that viral video marketing is a powerful promotional tool. But, it’s not the only option. If you don’t have the whopping $5 million lying around for a 30-second Super Bowl ad slot and you’re looking for alternative marketing strategies, you’ve come at the right place. At Web Content Development, we can help you attract, engage and convert your fans to customers using a personalized marketing strategy. Give us a call!
