Most Super Bowl Ads Don't Go Viral

Most Super Bowl Ads Don’t Go Viral

Two Weeks After the Game, the Ads Drop Off the List, Replaced By Real Viral Campaigns

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — This week’s chart is a testament to the power of TV. Now that the Super Bowl is a fading memory, so are many of the Super Bowl ads, meaning TV was the key driver of their popularity, rather than a groundswell of demand on the web.

This week, only four ads from last week’s Bowl-dominated chart remain: Doritos, Snickers, E-Trade and Google, while a fifth Super Bowl ad, from Bud Light, joins the list for the first time. Doritos came in at No. 1 with an impressive 5 million views, even though that’s a 73% drop from last week. Gone are many of the ads that generated heat around the game, such as Audi’s “Green Police,” Tim Tebow’s Focus on the Family ad and Motorola’s Megan Fox ad.

But while ads from the big game fade, some of the more durable viral campaigns are returning to the list, a testament to their lasting power. It’s the difference between a surge in audience powered by marketing and exposure from a big event, and a sustained viral campaign, powered by social media and marketing.

Just look at who’s returned to the list: Evian’s rollerskating babies are back, of course, for their 31st week in the top 10. Also back are Microsoft’s “Project Natal” with 35 total weeks in the top 10, and DC Shoes’ “Gymkhana,” which has hung on for 34 weeks.

Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” also made the list for the first time. It will be interesting to see if that ad has staying power, or if the humor starts to go stale.

Last WeekBrandCampaignAgencyCurrent Week Views*% Change in Views**Watch the Spot
11DoritosCrash the Super Bowl 2010Goodby, Silverstein & Partners4,871,317-73%Doritos: Crash the Super Bowl 2010
2NewOld SpiceThe Man Your Man Could Smell LikeWieden & Kennedy1,660,063NewOld Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
32E-TradeE-Trade Super Bowl 2010Grey1,378,361-60%E-Trade: Super Bowl 2010
4Back on ChartEvianLive YoungBETC Euro RSCG1,232,441Back on ChartEvian: Live Young
5NewPumaHardChorusDroga 5762,436NewPuma: Hard Chorus
63SnickersPick Up GameBBDO737,857-78%Snickers: Pick Up Game
77GoogleParisian LoveIn-house649,998-78%Google: Parisian Love
8NewBud LightBud Light Super Bowl 2010Cannonball; DDB; Palm + Havas; Momentum547,043NewBud Light: Super Bowl 2010
9Back on ChartDC ShoesGymkhana TwoMad Media425,267Back on ChartDC Shoes: Ken Block's Gymkhana Two Project
10Back on ChartMicrosoftXbox Project NatalWorld Famous411,585Back on ChartMicrosoft: Xbox Project Natal