President, MWWPR. Passionate about boosting brand voices globally for over two decades.
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In the backdrop of a global pandemic, this year’s Super Bowl will look different. For starters, Zoom watch parties will replace in-person parties, and the stadium crowd will be smaller than usual.
Outside of viewership, Covid-19 is also reshaping two other core elements of the big game: the advertising and public relations that surround it.
The Activation Shifts For This ‘Zoom Super Bowl’
If this Super Bowl were not occurring during a pandemic, brands would have been flooding Tampa right now with special events, athlete spokespeople, press conferences and parties.
This level of on-site public relations activity isn’t happening this year, and many brands are opting out of their usual advertising efforts as well. Avocados From Mexico, Coca-Cola and Ford are just a few of the mainstay advertisers taking a seat on the sidelines.
Various factors are behind the decisions of some brands to scale back on advertising. Some of those factors include pressures on marketing budgets, concerns about if this is the right environment to advertise in, fear of scrutiny and uncertainty around return on investment (given that there will be fewer in-person watch parties this year).
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However, that’s not to say that there’s no activation activity this year. There is activation on both the advertising and public relations fronts—it just looks different in this “Zoom Super Bowl.”
For starters, brands that will be airing spots include a mix of familiar names (such as Pringles, Toyota and M&M’s) and up-and-comers that have thrived in the pandemic and want to build on that success with first-time Super Bowl commercials (such as Fiverr, Vroom and allegedly, TikTok competitor Triller). And while the famous Radio Row is smaller this year due to social distancing restrictions, brands are still engaging with the media virtually, promising access to athlete spokespeople.
The Convergence Of Culture And Cause
There’s also a shift in tone this year. Culture and cause are converging in this environment.
Brands have recognized the uniquely aligned psychographic among American consumers in 2021. People are isolated and looking for optimism and escapism. Brands can bridge those missing connections for people and offer messaging that gives them a break from routine bad news.
Consumers will be especially receptive to cause-related initiatives this year. Time and time again, studies have shown that doing good does well. Consumers value brands that give back, and what’s more, media outlets like covering the social good efforts from brands.
Already, brands are emphasizing cause-related initiatives around the Super Bowl. Most notably, the NFL announced that it would send roughly 7,500 healthcare workers to the game.
Another example? DoorDash will feature Daveed Diggs alongside prominent Sesame Street characters in its debut commercial on game day and is bolstering its campaign with philanthropy. As Ad Age reports, the company has publicized that it will “donate $1 for each order placed” on February 7 and 8, “up to $1 million, to the Sesame Workshop,” which is the nonprofit behind Sesame Street.
Going Beyond The 30-Second Spot
DoorDash running its first Super Bowl commercial was the impetus and focus of the media coverage the company received. However, the philanthropic partnership between DoorDash and the Sesame Workshop would have garnered earned media even without the corresponding Super Bowl ad.
This brings me to my next point: Getting brand messages out in the lead up to big events like the Super Bowl is not dependent on paid advertising.
Pre-pandemic, the NFL credentialed over 5,000 members of the media to be on-site each Super Bowl. That won’t be the case this year. Instead of mingling in person at Radio Row with public relations executives, marketers and other key people to secure pre-game stories, journalists have been doing so over Zoom.
The lack of in-person events has led to a gap in coverage, but public relations executives can step in and develop storylines, helping their clients secure valuable coverage.
This Super Bowl presents endless storylines public relations executives can build off of—hero versus hero, perseverance in tough times and hope, just to name a few. The monumental matchup between a legendary quarterback (Tom Brady) and a rising star quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) has captivated people. Anticipation is off the charts as people wait for these two influential players to vie for the same prize the night of February 7.
On the advertising side, brands that smartly leverage these storylines by developing branded content that ties back to the big game will become a positive part of the conversation, whether in the pages of The New York Times or the Facebook newsfeeds of millions of people (or even better, both).
The Future Playbook For Large, Live Events
There will be other large, live events, such as the Grammy’s, the Oscars and the Olympics, in the coming months. Moving forward, brands won’t depend as much on on-site activation at large live events, and there will perhaps be less paid advertising as well.
Instead, brands will continue to use the winning Super Bowl LV playbook—the convergence of culture and cause—to create resonating messaging for consumers, drive earned editorial coverage and become part of the national conversation.
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Author: Bret Werner, Forbes Councils Member
