Super Bowl LV will be unlike any we’ve experienced in the past.
Yes, this means few fans in the stands and pared down Super Bowl parties. But it also means a recognizable shift among brands advertising during the game.
Super Bowl mainstays Budweiser, Coca-Cola and Pepsi are forgoing their usual ad buys, making room for new players. These new players taking center stage all have something in common: commerce.
Mercari, DoorDash and Vroom are among new entrants to the Super Bowl this year promising seamless shopping experiences, convenience and value. They’re using the game’s platform to introduce their brands to a new group of people emerging from a pandemic, looking for a safer, more personalized and convenient way to shop.
These brands should take advantage of the network effect of the Super Bowl’s massive audience. These days, consumers are always in shopping mode. Brands advertising in the game need to make sure their search campaigns and social content capitalize on the increased traffic around their Super Bowl spots.
Delivery dominates
Outside of the Big Game ads, brands are bringing Super Bowl solutions to fans doors.
Goldbelly is bringing fans their favorite Super Bowl food, no matter where they are; Instacart is scoring the top game day snacks on its Consumer Snacking Report; and Kroger is hosting a kickoff concert with a Digital Kit that helps fans turn their locations into “party zones.”
This year, it’s vital that brands set up an infrastructure to deliver straight to people’s homes, as players like Go Puff and 7Now enable people to get what they want in 30 minutes or less. Focusing on the supply chain and thinking about how your company can add value to consumers’ lives is key.
Social shopping scores big
As social commerce becomes a bigger habit among shoppers, the Super Bowl is no exception.
According to Pinterest, top Super Bowl search terms this year are closely tied to shopping across beauty and apparel. Searches for “super bowl outfits for women” increased 7x year-over-year, while searches for “super bowl nails” grew 99%, and searches for “cold game day outfit” spiked 131%. The NRF projects that the average consumer will spend close to $75 on game day, equaling $13.9 billion nationwide.
This year, a new group of brands are ushering in the post-pandemic era – signaling that things will never go back to the way they were.
Consistency pays off and proper planning wins the game.
Amy Lanzi is EVP/NA Practice Lead, Publicis Commerce