Companies spending big money to generate buzz during Super Bowl
Feb 5, 2016, 5:00 AM
Advertising in the Super Bowl doesn’t come cheap, and companies are shelling out top dollar to get their message across this year.
Chief Creative Officer Bob Case with Lavidge in Phoenix said 30 seconds of airtime costs about $5 million. That’s half a million more than a year ago. He said these companies are not as concerned with a return on investment as they are with generating awareness for their brand.
“If you want awareness, you want to try and get the biggest reach you can get,” Case said. “The Super Bowl is that in spades, and it has been forever.”
But for some companies it’s more than just promoting awareness for their brand. Likeability comes into play.
“You also need affinity,” Case said. “You need people to like your brand. You need people to fall in love with you.”
Ads usually range from humorous to emotional. Case said the Hyundai and Heinz spots airing in this year’s Super Bowl are some of his favorites. He said social media allows companies to maximize their Super Bowl spots, with some releasing their ads days before the game.
“Then the follow up is to see how many views you got over the weekend and how many views you got the following week,” Case said.
One local company that has been a Super Bowl advertising staple over the past decade will not have a spot during this year’s TV broadcast. Scottsdale-based GoDaddy is instead planning to air a 30 second ad during the online livestream of the game.
GoDaddy spokeswoman Elizabeth Driscoll said they are shifting their advertising style to focus more on what they do to help people succeed online. They are looking to target specific viewers, like small business owners, with their digital campaign during the Super Bowl. GoDaddy had advertised during the TV broadcast of the Super Bowl since 2005.