Super Bowl ads are often hyped up more than the game itself. This is largely due to the cost of purchasing a 30-second spot on primetime television during the most watched sporting event of the year. However, this price tag is not something small businesses usually consider to be an option.
According to Forbes, the cost of having an ad during the Super Bowl is $150 thousand per second. This comes to $4.5 million for a 30 second commercial. To many businesses, this is an unlikely investment, especially since it is just a one-time shot. Then again, if successful, it could be discussed for years to come. For example, Time Magazine noted the Volkswagen “force” commercial from 2011 is still the most popular commercial ever. While it was only 30 seconds long, it made a lasting impression.
The commercial is simple, following a small boy in a Darth Vader costume as he “commands” different objects in the house to do what he wants, through the imaginary use of the force, of course. Then the automatic start on the vehicle makes the child believe he may have actually started the car. While many ads make use of the football theme, this ad stuck to humor and avoided sports all together, referring to an icon that is easily identifiable.
Watch the Super Bowl ads
During the Super Bowl, small business owners and employees, especially those on marketing teams, should watch the Super Bowl ads if only to see what is working in today’s society. The days following the Super Bowl will be flooded with discussions about which commercials were the best, rather than who won the game.
While a small business may not be able to invest the resources into purchasing an ad during the Super Bowl, it can certainly invest time in learning a bit about what is popular in the world of marketing.