Super Bowl 50 is here, and the cost to advertise is heating up faster than the Broncos/Panthers rivalry. In fact, CBS is charging up to
$5 million for a 30-second ad spot during the big game. According to eMarketer, the top five Super Bowl advertisers have spent a total of $745.1 million for the privilege over the past 10 years.
While the Super Bowl is a great time to drive awareness with cute Budweiser puppies and ridiculous Doritos commercials, most advertisers can’t afford to shell out that kind of money. Here are four strategies to help marketers of all sizes take advantage of the Super Bowl without breaking the bank.
1. Start with a good content strategy
Make sure you have a cohesive plan in advance of the big day that includes organic and paid teams, and all marketing channels where you have a presence (search, social, display, etc.). With a solid strategy in place, you’ll have a good foundation to help you capitalize on any spontaneous moments that may occur, such as Oreo’s quick “dunk in the dark” reaction in 2013.
Here are a few recommended tactics:
- Plan your gameday creative and messaging in advance
- Use a tool like Marin Social’s Message Booster to improve coordination between organic and paid teams, and to ease the workload by automatically promoting top-performing content according to pre-defined rules
- Make sure your social media team is at the ready with immediate, relevant, branded content, in case a big and unexpected moment occurs
2. Take a mobile-first approach
During the Super Bowl, millions of Americans are watching more than just the TV screen. They’re grabbing recipes from Pinterest, posting photos of their gameday garb on Facebook, and sharing their real-time reactions on Twitter. Advertisers who understand this second-screen behavior are in the best position to take advantage using a mobile-first approach.
- Use mobile device and carrier targeting to maximize ad relevance
- Make sure your website or landing page is optimized for mobile viewing
- Consider extending your ads beyond the publishers and into mobile apps, via the Facebook Audience Network and the Twitter Audience Platform
3. Run your commercial without the hefty price tag
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all offer top-notch video advertising formats, so you can run your commercial without dropping $5 million. Captivating video formats provide an exciting way to engage with users who skim through their phones while watching the game. Other things to consider:
- Use Reach & Frequency targeting with your Facebook video ads to generate awareness at scale
- Make sure your creative attracts attention with autoplay and no sound
- Run video that’s specifically relevant to Super Bowl viewers, and consider unveiling fresh, never-seen-before content
4. Up the ante with TV Sync technology
If you already have a good baseline social advertising strategy, take things to the next level using TV Sync technology. TV Sync allows you to automatically activate your social ads based on customizable offline events like television flight schedules, live programming, weather changes, or sporting events – all in real time. It’s a powerful way to amplify your reach and drive engagement across screens.
TV Sync allows you to:
- Trigger your social ads whenever your competitor’s commercial airs
- Launch social ads automatically based on weather status or key sporting events such as touchdowns and timing
- Push social ads live during other related TV events (Pro Bowl, Puppy Bowl, etc.)
Last but not least, consider using these strategies beyond Super Bowl Sunday. Every day is a great chance to extend your advertising beyond TV, onto the second screen and into the virtual living room.
Consider applying these ideas during primetime TV shows, live awards events, college or national sporting events, the World Cup, the Lumberjack World Championships, or any time at all.
