Marketing Insights Podcast

February 7, 2022

Transcript: 

Shanita Akintonde (00:00):

Hey, Marketing Maestros, the Super Bowl is almost here and whether you're a fan or not, whether you know, the teams that will vibe for the crown, I know for a fact that you know something about the biggest sporting event on the planet. Come on, the more you think about it, the Super Bowl is more a national holiday to sum rather than just a regular program. From Super Bowl, inspired menu items to regular grub that folks simply inhale on game day. Think chicken wings and pizza. With 12.5 million of those padded pies being sold during the Super Bowl every year, according to the American pizza community. The products and goods and services, themed events, socially distanced, or virtual watch parties, and of course the game itself, which for us, Marketing Maestros, includes being glued to... You guessed it, television commercials. On this very special edition of my Marketing Insights Podcast series entitled Supa Dupa Super Bowl Brands.

            I'm going to share five tips that you can still directly from our advertising afficionado aunties and uncles. It is Super Bowl season after all. This is the one time that advertisers get to take center stage and shine bright like a diamond the entire time. That's right, it's during the Super Bowl that advertisers get to take the main stage. Don't believe me? Then close your eyes for a moment and take a journey with me back to Super Bowl 18. That's when the Apple product line introduced the iconic 1984 ad. It is said that the late Steve Jobs wanted to create and air a spot that would change the world. His advertising creative team, and probably their media compadres too suggested the Super Bowl serve as the campaign launching pad. Jobs hesitated. He didn't know anyone who watched the Super Bowl. Can you relate, Marketing Maestros?

            The team managed to convince him, however, to launch what many would say set the stage for the brand's success. In other words, Apple planted a seed in the advertising historical archives that to this day remains. And the rest, as they say is bit-story. The 2022 advertisers playbook promises to be no different. In this very special edition of my Marketing Insights Podcast series, Supa Dupa Super Bowl Brands, I will offer a play-by-play rule book that will teach you how to develop a championship brand by selling directly from advertisers. A playbook that will daunt competitors and ensure that you, dear listeners, will win the hearts and wallets of consumers in a manner that is equivalent to securing the marketing heyday Heisman, red zone, first down you score.

            They call you brands [inaudible 00:04:00]. You throw it in, touchdown, sales scores, you're Marketing's MVP. After a pass like that, a champion brand like that, your customers will ask, "CC, your retort?" That's right. You better CC me. Because them sales keep going, put your competitors to bed. Keep my playbook going all night. Sweet dreams, branding strategies, tap dancing in your head. So let's explore the five field passes that will lead to gained yardage in this special edition of my Marketing Insights Podcast series. Once again, entitled Supa Dupa Super Bowl Brands. I'm calling each of the five points that I'm about to share, touchdown tips. Let's go. Touchdown tip number one, $6.5 million. That's the cost that NBC holders of the exclusive broadcasting rights for the Super Bowl in 2022 is said to be asking for a 32nd spot during the 2022 Super Bowl game. According to Ad Age Magazine. That's a 14% increase from the 2021 numbers when CBS garnered about $5.6 million per 32nd TV ad. More on how those big spenders make up for that investment a little later on.

            Touchdown tip number two. Know your audience. Y'all know this is one of my favorite topics to cover in my podcast episodes. But this time, I'll hold the Professor Shanita Akintonde sauce and provide perspective from a different source. I'm going to borrow from Budweiser. On this one for my Super Bowl advertising acolytes, you already know that the Budweiser brand has effortlessly fallen into the best Super Bowl ads category. A key component of which is they know which buds to target with their suds. Get it? It doesn't hurt that with past commercials like Puppy Love that include Clyde's Tale, puppies, and an actor who could easily have been a football player himself, rounding out the cast... Child, what could possibly go wrong? Not a ding. As in those cash registers going bring, bring. In fact, a Stanford study shows that sales figures derived from Budweiser Super Bowl ads more than doubled what was spent to make the commercials. Do y'all hear me, Marketing Maestros?

            This is the point I mentioned earlier that I was circle back to. So let me say it again to be clear, brands like Budweisers sales more than doubled what they spent on creating their Super Bowl ads. That means that the advertising spin is way more than made up for in the end. I hope you're keeping score, Marketing Maestros. Here's touchdown tip number three, alligator arms are not allowed. Your end goal must be a desire to blitz pass competitors, not wave a friendly goodbye as you saunter pass, not smiling in a Gentile manner as though you're picking up tulips, which I love by the way. It's called immaculate reception for a reason, Marketing Maestros. In fact, advertisers say serious contenders cannot ignore the Super Bowl. I'm not going to be ignored, man. Okay. Forgive me. I was channeling one of my favorite actresses Glenn Close for a moment.

            I shared tips and tricks for effective language uses in two of my previous podcast entitled AEIOU: the Language of Brands. There's a part one and a part two, go back and take a listen. But back to this podcast, Supa Dupa Super Bowl Brands. Let's take a look at Snickers, a Super Bowl snack that is no stranger in going on the attack, especially when it comes to cleverly crafted and creatively maneuvered television commercials in a spoof like spot the product cast, Betty White, may she rest in peace, alongside a group of what appeared to be neighborhood friends, playing football as in touch football. The commercial features the actress, Betty White, as one of the guys who puts a smile on the viewer's faces up until she is tackled, that is. As Betty White rises from the mud soaked ground exchanging barbs with one of the fellas, White's character is handed a Snickers bar. And after taking a bite, she morphs into the actual person, a regular looking dude who looks like he could actually be one of White's grandchildren in real life.

            It was a cleverly written cast and directed piece that allowed the Snickers brand to ensure that their competitors would sit by in the stands while their commercial may have made history. It was a jovial spoof, but the product itself let everyone know that they were not there for play-play during the Super Bowl. Touchdown tip number four, You can't deny DEI. Given the current political, social and economic ramifications for brands who do not embrace DEI in 2022, this year's Super Bowl and all the ads they're in must be moving forward to embrace DEI if they want to see any significant ROI on their media span. More on this in a few. Okay, last but not least touch down. Tip number five. The halftime show, i.e becoming a co-brand captain. The halftime show is more than a musical number performed by one or many artists. Over the past years, the halftime show has morphed into its own holiday. The 2022 Super Bowl halftime show promises to be extra epic with an all star lineup. That includes... Wait for it. Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre.

            What promises to be an "off the chain" experience is being directed by F. Gary Gray, who, if you are not familiar with is an African American director and producer whose film credits include a few teeny weeny films that you may or may not be familiar with, such as Set It Off, The Negotiator, and The Italian Job. Obviously, I was being facetious. Having a tremendous talent like F. Gary Gray direct the Super Bowl halftime show that features other tremendous talents like again, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre, is the equivalent of wearing a white snowsuit in the middle of Alaska during a snowstorm while a snow-covered mountain in an igloo. That's all ice, baby, as in too cold. This also speaks directly to the DEI tenant I raised earlier as well. Featuring these mega talents, each of whom enjoy massive crossover appeal, but who also have a deep resonance with communities of color in particular is going to supersize the Super Bowl, demographic quadruple fold.

            I'm not sure of who at the top of the Super Bowl executive food chain made the decision to feature these artists, but it was a very smart move. Kudos and Kool-Aid to you, whoever you are. There is also something else afoot here. I call it the halo effect. A phrase in methodology that I attach to the halftime show specifically. Now, hear me out, Marketing Maestros. The very nature of the halftime show ensconced at the exact midpoint of the game when viewers eyeballs are glued to the screen and their chip monk cheeks are cramed full of chicken and chips, pizza and pretzels who are also transfixed as they await what promises to be a spectacular extravaganza and is an anticipated moment that rarely disappoints.

            From Prince's reign soaked serenade, what better way to say purple rain, right, Marketing Maestros? To the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction, Beyonce's electric fused performance that brought down the house and lights, literally. Jlo and Shakira shaking it down to the ground, and all the others who have grace center stage at this midpoint moment of the game. The amount of energy, creativity and expectations created, generates so much buzz that even the bumblebees are taking cover. The halo effect generated here lends to numerous merchandising opportunities as well from t-shirts to face masks, buttons, even baby blankets and seat covers. The 2022 broadcast the halftime show, Hugh Johnston, the CEO of PepsiCo and the halftime show king reported in 2020 that a 5.2% product sales increase from their product in was directly attributed to their participation in the Super Bowl.

            Still tracking what makes Supa Dupa Super Bowl Brands. Believe the hype. Public enemy may have had a hit song entitled "Don't Believe the Hype", but in the case of the Super Bowl, the hype is real. The excitement generated around the Super Bowl begins before the game itself begins and continues well after it ends. The fact is there is so much buzz generated before the Super Bowl that millions of barbers across the United States, and maybe even the globe wipe down their barber chairs, fold their aprons, pack up their Clippers, and hang out their closed signs, as they temporarily shut down their barber shops. That's because their services will not be necessary on Super Bowl Sunday, or in some cases, the weeks leading up to the fateful day. The buzz is that intense. Get it? It is also reported that since the advent of pre-commercial releases and social media tie-ins, there have been more than 100 million views of Super Bowl ads that are issued prior to game day.

            Suffice it to say, Marketing Maestros, history will be made on Sunday, February 13th, 2022 at SoFi Stadium between the Cincinnati Bengals and the LA Rams. And if you use the five tips shared within this Supa Dupa Super Bowl podcast, you will be a winner yourself. Let's recap, touchdown tip number one, $6.5 million, enough said. Touchdown tip number two, know your audience. Talk about that in this as well as other podcasts. Touchdown tip number three, alligator arms are not allowed. Touchdown tip number four, you can't deny DEI. And touchdown tip number five, the halftime show i.e being a co-brand captain. Until next time, which will be our best time. This is Shanita Akintonde, Professor, author, career, coach, and marketing SHEro signing off. If you enjoy listening to these podcasts, be sure to subscribe on Stitcher, iTunes, or Google Play and like them wherever you hear them, connect with me on LinkedIn at Professor Shanita Akintonde, or follow me Twitter, @_ShanitaSpeaks.