The chicken wings are hot, the guacamole is fresh, and the drinks are ice cold…that can only mean one thing: it’s time for America’s biggest football night, and with that comes America’s most famous ads. For as many football fans as there are, there are just as many spectators who tune in to the Super Bowl solely to watch the year’s championship commercials. It’s always a big “production” to air a memorable spot, but what makes a Super Bowl ad special?

With over 100 million viewers in 2019, we anticipate that Super Bowl LIV will be no different. Super Bowl ads are high-profile not only because of the number of people watching the game but because of the amplification that takes place before and after the event. Therefore, the investment in every way is huge. Not only is the media placement expensive, brands also have to consider the cost of production, resource hours, added layers of approvals, and level of scrutiny. It’s as if everyone is playing in overtime.

The production values of an epic, anthemic spot have become extremely important, even though some ads will only air on broadcast TV once. No expense is spared on shoot locations, wardrobe, production design. It’s also typical to utilize celebrity actors, celebrity directors, and license popular music to make buzz-worthy content. When special effects are used for extra impact, the post-production process is often lengthy and more costly given the time constraints necessary to ship for an unchangeable deadline. 

Social media plays an increasingly vital role in the big game. The gold-standard of advertising isn’t something that just lives in an artful 30 second to two-minute commercial. The Super Bowl is an event – it is a living ecosystem of advertising and online engagement.  It is increasingly important for brands to keep up with teasers and to support content for social interactivity before, during, and after the game and interviews for reaction and response in real time.

Just as viewers may bet on the outcome of the game, brands double down on their wager that their content will go viral, making the upfront investment worthwhile. Their hope is to be awarded the coveted #1 position on the various Ad Meters from USA Today, Adweek, YouTube and others, talked about at the water cooler, or retweeted days after the game. We can’t wait to see who tops this year’s list of favorites, and as Lester Holt was heard saying, “besides, there is a game to watch.”

Let us know what was your favorite ad?

Authored by: APR’s Subject Matter Experts