Last February’s Super Bowl marked the beginning of a big year for worldwide sports advertising, with the upcoming Summer Olympic Games, UEFA Euros, and ICC Men's T20 World Cup just to name a few. Strategists from Ogilvy New York recently published their annual "Big Ideas from the Big Game" playbook, analyzing how top brands fared in Super Bowl advertising and offering 6 elements of winning game play that businesses can leverage to optimize the impact of their sports marketing investments, well beyond American football. Click here to download the full playbook.

1. A Temperature Check: The state of the nation

As one of the last remaining monocultural moments, the Super Bowl gives us a glimpse at the sentiment of society. Meant to appeal to the entire country, the ads also give hints at how people are feeling andwhat will resonate with them.

Humor and celebrities are always mainstays in Super Bowl ads, but absurdist humor and celebrity-studded spots really took the spotlight this year. The over-the-top nature of these ads may showcase what advertisers feel needs to be done to win attention, when sometimes it is simplicity and sharpness that people crave.

2. Audience: A collective viewing moment, for now

The Super Bowl is the holy grail for advertisers because it is a rare moment when so many people are actively tuned into the same program. But just as the fabric of the US population shifts, so too might this reality.

This year, TelevisiaUnivision broadcast a Spanish-language version of the game. To deliver personalized content to a Hispanic viewing base, some brands are taking their ad space (at very discounted rates) to the Spanish-language broadcast.

Similarly, Nickelodeon broadcast a kids-friendly version of the game, complete with special effects, an iconic performance of SpongeBob’s Half-Time Show, and a handful of Nick-only ads. 

As we’re seeing broadcasts target specific yet large demographic bases, it leaves the question of whether the audience tuning in will become more fragmented. But given the diversity of the audience tuning into the game, it only makes sense that there are diverse ways of watching, too.

3. Creative Ambition: Every second counts

With such a hefty price tag attached to every second of airtime, the Super Bowl showcases first hand “the cost of being dull,” to reference Peter Field. Advertising thrives on creativity, yet there are so many brands that deliver just average work, in the Super Bowl and beyond. Those who do so on the biggest stage of all show us that the biggest risk we can take is, ironically, to do what is safest.

4. Culture: Flexing, borrowing or investing in cultural capital

In attempts to appeal to the mass audience of the Super Bowl, advertisers have a few options on how to create work that works on such an iconic cultural stage. Brands tend to take three approaches: flexing, borrowing or investing in culture.

Verizon’s “Can’t B Broken” showcases how to do this well. Both the star of the spot, Beyoncé, and other timely references like AI and Barbie add meaning and relevance to the Big Idea behind the spot. Partnering with such a big name also signals the status of the brand, aligning the brand with a viral moment that stole the show.

5. Message: The spectrum from slapstick to sentimental

Super Bowl spots often default to a humorous tone, even if it is a deviation from the brand’s typical tone of voice. 63% of viewers just want to watch ads that make them laugh, while only 14% of viewers want to see a purpose-driven message (Attest). Even brands with serious tones of voice can break free during the Super Bowl in the name of garnering attention and positing reactions. BMW’s “Talkin like Walken” did just this, while maintaining the luxe appeal of the brand.

On the other hand, as tensions around the world rise, some brands used their air time to take serious, sweet or sentimental tones. Sticking with their highly effective brand platform, Dove delivered a purposeful, relevant and moving message about the reasons girls quit sports. 

6. Connections: Thinking beyond the screen

By its very nature, the :30 second or :60 second spot talksat people, but brands are finding creative ways to connect and engage with consumers beyond the screen. While the long form spot still remains the hero at the Super Bowl, there is an opportunity to both deepen and expand connections with consumers.

Brands can successfully connect with consumers when they think about the full ecosystem that exists around their big ticket item. 

CeraVe set a new standard for full-ecosystem thinking leading up to their spot. The multi-pronged, immersive marketing campaign seamlessly integrated creativity and celebrity with earned, social and influence, racking up over 6 billion earned impressions all before the big game. Rather than resort to the typical teaser, the brand relied on the internet gossip engine to build buzz, creating a one-of-a-kind campaign that will have people talking long after the game.

Summary

Super Bowl Sunday is a special stage for advertisers. In many ways, it is an anomaly from our typical marketing efforts, but in others, it is just an ultra-amplified version of the remaining 364 days in adland. The stage is bigger, the stakes are bigger, but the principles to win are largely the same.

Seeing how brands show up on the biggest stage of all can give us indications of how big ideas can have the biggest impact.