Why Super Bowl Advertisers Face Challenges In 2018
Advertising on the Super Bowl is always a tough decision for marketing executives. However, 2018 appears to have added layers of complexity. It isn’t a surprise, then, that NBC seems to face more difficulty selling spots despite a robust economy.
The Super Bowl is a remarkable marketing platform. Viewership in the United States is huge: more than 100 million people. This puts it far beyond other media events. The second biggest event, the Oscars, has, by comparison, only 30 million viewers in 2017.
More important, the Super Bowl generates enormous hype. People talk about the advertising before the game, during the game, after the game, and even the next day. They share ads on Facebook and other social media platforms. Many people watch the Super Bowl primarily to see and discuss the advertising.
All of this comes at a steep price. The cost of a Super Bowl ad is roughly $5 million for a thirty-second spot. On top of this, advertisers have to create a break-through piece of creative and then support the effort with an integrated marketing campaign: PR, digital, promotions, contests. A solid Super Bowl marketing effort can easily cost $10 million.
In addition, all the scrutiny can create problems; it is all too easy to offend people with a polarizing ad. In recent years, advertisers such as Nationwide, 84 Lumber, Homeaway and Go Daddy have been sharply criticized for their Super Bowl spots.
Still, the 2018 Super Bowl presents some new and complex challenges for advertisers. One major problem is that the NFL is dealing with multiple protests. Colin Kaepernick started the trend, of course, by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem in 2016. This behavior has spread to other teams and become a source of great controversy. Some people salute the gesture while others believe it is disrespectful. Even President Donald Trump has weighed on the issue, calling for owners to fire or suspend players who kneel.
Read More at: Forbes
