In another year of Super Bowl ads, full of winners and losers, there are only a few that have continued their brand conversation past their big spot. It’s clear that harnessing the power of the internet is a surefire way to get your money’s worth out of large ad investment like those from the big game. The brands that won at the Super Bowl built momentum online beforehand with promotional teasers and influencers, delivering something splashy during their very expensive airtime, then garnered user generated content afterwards. A few brands stood out when it came to this formula.
Before the Super Bowl, we got teasers from Verizon hinting at the fact Beyonce might be featured on the big day. Knowing her super base of fans, they got to digging. This led to much speculation on what this spot would contain: new music, a haircare product drop, Vegas residency? The ad itself lived up to the hype, concluding with the release of new music that sent the internet into a frenzy. Social media lit up with fans scrambling to find where they could listen. Following the game, Verizon reaped the rewards with increased brand visibility as Beyoncé's fans flooded platforms discussing the newly dropped tracks.
Building momentum, Doordash enlisted a number of social media influencers to share information about their big giveaway for the Super Bowl. To get the code to enter in the giveaway you had to watch their spot during the big game. Once aired it wasn’t so easy, giving viewers a long-jumbled promo code. This led people to turn to social media showing them concentrating more on figuring out the code, rewatching the spot over and over again, more so than the game. The morning after folks are still taking to social platforms to share information about the correct promo code and share videos of their friends and family obsessively trying to crack the code.
Fans knew something was coming with Dunkin’ teasing and dropping a number of Ben Affleck branded campaigns for a few months now, most notably and recently at the Grammys. Dunkin’ had also dropped some snippets on their socials the days leading up to the big spot. Using a combination of internet fueled callbacks with Charli D'Amelio on TikTok and mainstream culture with Jenifer Lopez, Matt Damon and Tom Brady this omnichannel campaign appealed to all. The day after their spot, Dunkin’ capitalized on the momentum by releasing new merchandise inspired by the “Dunkings” looks featured in the ad, along with a variety of new menu items and bundles. This strategic move not only kept fans engaged but also ensured that the conversation continued online.
In the grand scheme of events like the Super Bowl, it's crucial to consider the pre-game and post-game phases. Brands need to keep in mind consumers are online, specifically social leading up to, during, and after the game. It's imperative for them to engage across all touchpoints of the consumer journey to create a lasting impact.
