Anheuser-Busch via AP
This photo provided by Anheuser-Busch shows the Budweiser 2024 Super Bowl NFL football spot. The perennial Super Bowl advertiser is bringing back fan favorites the Clydesdales and a Labrador, in a nod to previous commercials that aired during advertising’s biggest night. Ahead of Super Bowl 58, some advertisers are releasing ads early in the hope of capitalizing on the buzz leading up to the game.
Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 | 2 a.m.
Turn on the TV or take a look online, and you might already be seeing new ads from companies like Apple and Doritos.
From the well-known Clydesdale horses making their return for Budweiser to comedian Kate McKinnon and a fluffy cat that can say “mayo” for Hellmann’s, businesses will spend millions of dollars to snatch a 30-second spot to get those ads aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl 58.
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world.
An estimated 113 million viewers tuned in to last year’s Super Bowl battle between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, according to data and analytics site Nielsen.
The Super Bowl, which annually is the most-watched telecast in the United States, presents an unmatched opportunity for businesses to get their products in front of millions of people sitting down to watch the game.
For some viewers, the Super Bowl advertisements are the biggest draw, said Marla Stafford, a marketing professor at UNLV.
Students in her marketing classes watch the Super Bowl to study the advertisements and how they “make a splash” afterward, she said.
The price is high, though, to get an advertisement in front of all those eyes.
A 30-second spot during this year’s broadcast can cost as much as $7 million, according to The Associated Press.
With such a high price and a short time to make an impression, it’s no wonder advertisers pull out all the stops, from celebrity cameos to the most creative and wacky skits.
This year’s crop of commercials includes “Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega on the prowl for Doritos and Sir Patrick Stewart trading dialogue with fellow actor Drew Barrymore and Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for Paramount+.
The best commercials get people talking about them on social media platforms or at the office water cooler, Stafford said.
That’s especially true considering Super Bowl viewers aren’t necessarily football enthusiasts. And many watch simply for the commercials that air in between the on-field action.
“That’s what marketers and advertisers want is to keep people talking about their brand,” Stafford said. “It’s worth it to them because it’s expensive, but you get the audience for it and it keeps the word out, and that’s just so important.”
It’s why companies like Anheuser-Busch InBev, the owner of Budweiser, advertise during the Super Bowl year after year.
After being absent in last year’s Super Bowl spot for Budweiser, the Clydesdale horses, which have appeared in every other Budweiser Super Bowl commercial since 1975, are returning.
The horses represent Budweiser as a brand and help connect the beer company with its fans, as well as attract new ones, said Kristina Punwani, head of marketing for Budweiser.
“For many years, Budweiser has been synonymous with the Super Bowl, and the broadcast continues to be a very special moment for the brand,” Punwani said in a statement.
“This is one of the biggest moments to share what the Budweiser brand stands for with a captive audience, and this year is no different,” she said.
BetMGM is also throwing its hat into the Super Bowl advertising ring this year with its first-ever big game commercial, which features retired quarterback Tom Brady, retired hockey great Wayne Gretzky and actor Vince Vaughn.
This year’s Super Bowl “is our moment to put BetMGM front and center of the largest audience in sports,” Matt Prevost, chief revenue officer for BetMGM, said in a statement.
The commercial will showcase Las Vegas “as home for the game as well as what we consider to be BetMGM’s home,” Prevost said.
Stafford said there was little doubt about the potential impact of a Super Bowl commercial.
“I mean, who wouldn’t want to be on the Super Bowl, right?” Stafford said. “As I said, it helps build brands, and in today’s social media environment and the buzz, it just will keep it going.”
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