Super Bowl ads ready for takeoff

Super Bowl advertisers operate a lot like you, give or take a few million dollars.

Companies have to venture far beyond a couple of commercial spots to create lasting buzz around what’s arguably the biggest annual sports event in the United States. Unlike its early years, Super Bowl promotion is no longer a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. Consumers take in news and entertainment on dozens of media platforms and you have to be where your fans are.

Cast a wide, but a personal net.

Like you, Super Bowl advertisers have to reach wide to create sticky messages. They begin with publicity teases and progressively build promotional and personal outreach. Memorable messages are easy to embrace and are crisp, creative and conversational .

To be truly memorable, those spots tell a story. Weave wonder through words. An example of someone who does that well throughout all of her projects? Taylor Swift. She’s a marketing magician who knows how to circulate stories among her people. Her fans soak in everything she says and does and aren’t afraid to share it.

You: But I’m not Taylor Swift and I don’t have NFL buck$.

It’s late in the game to build a multi-pronged promotion around the NFL’s biggest property. Without spending millions with the league and its broadcast partners, you can’t use the words “Super Bowl” or its marks in your marketing anyway. You can use the tips above for future events, though. Just don’t venture into restricted brand space without legal documents or trouble will follow.

A winner flies in to start.

American Airlines, upon last glance, isn’t on the Super Bowl ad tracker, but it got peoples’ attention when it renumbered flights to the 2024 game’s host city of Las Vegas. Messages with tips of the marketing cap to the AFC champ Kansas City Chiefs and the world’s most popular girlfriend made media rounds earlier this week. Unfortunately, buzz has been mostly muted since. We could see more mentions of the airline in the coming week which would in turn, bring it some needed positive publicity.

Look for similar piggyback promos as we approach the February 11 game. They may not be official partners but they’ll feature crisp, creative and conversation-worthy messages, and you’ll associate them with the biggest event of the day.

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Let’s catch up if you’re in Las Vegas or on Radio Row leading to Super Bowl LVIII. My eyes and ears will be open for stories and visuals to share here, too.