30-second advertising spots during the February 4th Super Bowl are selling for more than $5 million (40% of U.S. TV households will be watching), but a collaborative study between Stanford University and Humboldt University (Germany) found that Super Bowl advertisers continue to see meaningful post-game sales during other major sporting events (i.e. March Madness, World Series), within the same calendar year, indicating the spend is worth it. Those that built a social media presence or digital campaign to follow their Super Bowl ad, were successful in keeping their product(s) on the consumer’s mind through baseball season. Companies that were the sole advertiser within a specific product category received the greatest long-term value (see: BUD, PEP). Long-term advertisers received a boost in sales during Super Bowl week, despite the product being purchased before the event (i.e. the ad has yet to run).
Howie Long-Short: Just 10 Super Bowl ad spots remain, so the study is unlikely to impact ad sales (and NBC’s bottom line) for this year’s game. If there are going to be immediate beneficiaries, it’s going to be CBS (rights to ’19 SB) and FOXA (rights to ’20 SB); the rights holders of the next 2 Super Bowls. NBC Universal (CMCSA) said it expects to generate $500 million in Super Bowl ad revenue, a figure in line with the total generated for the last 2 years. Advertisers aren’t worried about the NFL’s declining attendance, that trend hasn’t translated to the Super Bowl; last year’s game drew 111.3 million viewers, the 5th most watched TV event of all-time.
Fan Marino: Mean Joe Greene and Joe Namath participated in iconic Super Bowl commercials, but a lesser known collegiate All-American starred in one of my all-time favorites; Terry Tate as “Office Linebacker”, installing workplace discipline in a 2003 Reebok spot. At 6’5, 300 pounds, with 4.3 40 (yard dash) speed and collegiate All-American (Morgan State) game tape, Lester Speight (his real name) should have been an NFL star; position changes and injuries derailed his promising career. He never played in a professional football game.
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