ali birston's blog

As many of you may know, this weekend’s Super Bowl XLV beat the all time record for number of viewers by recording an estimated average viewership of 111 million! However, what you may not have considered is the huge impact this has on companies who had the remarkable opportunity to advertise during the game. With a record breaking 111 million viewers, the ads played during the game now consist of the most watched ads of all time.

Although I am not a big football fan, I must admit that even I usually tune in once a year to the Super Bowl, although maybe not for the game itself. And after doing a bit of online research it seems that I’m not the only one who has ulterior motives. According to a poll conducted by television audience researcher Nielson of Super Bowl viewers last year, 51% tuned in more to watch the commercials than the game itself.

With such a large number of viewers tuning in and the majority of them watching because of the ads themselves, it seems to me like a golden opportunity for companies to take advantage of. However, realistically the 3 million dollar price tag for a 30 second ad spot is just not feasible for any company. Only the biggest and best companies come out to play during the Super Bowl in an all out battle for the minds and attention of their captive audience.

This year, one of my favourite ads was for Pepsi MAX titled “Love Hurts”. The scenes depicting a controlling wife prove to be quite comical and also quite effective in repositioning Pepsi MAX as a low calorie yet great tasting alternative that also appeals to men.

Another ad that I found absolutely hilarious yet very bizarre at the same time was an ad for Doritos called “The Best Part”. Although slightly odd, it was certainly unique and quite memorable (a quality that I’m sure all marketers strive for in their advertisements).

Who will have the best ad in next year’s Super Bowl, we’ll just have to wait and see!