Why Do Super Bowl Ads Get So Much Attention?

SHU sport management professor offers reasons for their popularity

This weekend, millions of people will gather in front of millions of screens to experience one of the biggest events of the year—the debut of Super Bowl TV commercials. Well, that and the Super Bowl itself, during which the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will duke it out for the top spot in the NFL.

Creative teams and promotional experts will vie for bragging rights for which 30- to 60-second spots gained the most attention. And with rates sky-high—this year it’s over $7 million for a 30-second spot—there’s a lot riding on the ads.

“There are never more eyes focused on U.S. television sets than on Super Bowl Sunday,” said Josh Shuart, program director and professor for Sacred Heart University’s sport management program. He added that an estimated 123.7 million viewers tuned into the game last year. The next biggest event was the U.S. presidential debate in September, with about 67 million viewers. “There are many one-time viewers, who will watch the Super Bowl only and not watch football before or after that the entire year. For those casual fans, elements like the commercials and the halftime show are often more intriguing to them than the game itself.”

We spoke to Shuart, who teaches classes in sport marketing, sport media and sport management, about the appeal of Super Bowl ads and the successful strategies behind them. These are some of the conversations he has with students in his classes, where he uses the Super Bowl as a tool to teach them about the current sports media landscape, as well as how it has evolved.

When did Super Bowl ads become a major event?

Advertisements have been sold since Super Bowl I, in 1967, when the going rate was $37,000 for a 30-second commercial, according to Shuart. “However, many would point to 1984—and the iconic Apple ad—as the starting point of commercials becoming a significant, ancillary piece to the big game.”

As viewership for the Super Bowl increased over the years, Shuart said brands and companies with financial means realized it was the definitive event if you wanted to reach consumers. Shuart’s students study the Super Bowl from the first contest to the current, analyzing commercials and the hype around the game itself.

A relatively new element, largely made possible through social media platforms, is a buildup to the ads themselves. “Companies will now “tease” their commercials well in advance of the game,” he said, adding they will use these campaigns to engage their audiences before, during and after the game. “They have extended their time in the spotlight from one 30-second blast to several weeks before, and a period of time immediately afterward.”

What makes Super Bowl ads effective?

There is a diverse roster of products and services this year that are expected to be featured in ads during the game—health and wellness companies, food products, soft drinks, beer, toilet paper, yogurt and others.

Tying them all together will be good storytelling and other strategies, such as humor, aspirational messages, nostalgia, celebrities, unexpected twists, retro themes, high-production value—classic ingredients of Super Bowl ads.

“Ultimately, good storytelling wins the day,” Shuart said. “It is the most memorable and often the most effective.”

What if you don’t have a Super Bowl budget for your advertising?

Even without millions of bucks for advertising, small businesses can create promotional stories that are authentic, heartfelt and relatable, Shuart said. Employing some DIY creativity and affordable video production tools can lead to appealing, creative ads. Collaborating with micro-influencers or tapping local celebrities could elevate your story. Leveraging online platforms could help to reach your audience at a fraction of the cost.

“You have a very short period of time to impress,” Shuart said, adding that goes for both billion-dollar companies and small, local firms. “At the end of the day, the process is relatively the same. You need to develop company goals, create a message, craft a message and disseminate that message through one of several possible mediums.”

How is SHU teaching students to embark on careers in the sports industry?

In the Bachelor of Science in sport management program students gain a foundation in management, business and legal principles as they learn about sport industry management, sport marketing, sport financing and the significance of media in the sport industry and more. Students go on to jobs in venue and event management, sport marketing and sponsorship, sport tourism and hospitality and other fields.

Other programs include the Bachelor of Arts in sports communication & media and the Master of Arts in sports communication & media. The programs provide students with the multimedia skills to cover sporting events, serve as on-air broadcasters and gain jobs as sports media professionals across the country. Recently, alumni of this program won Emmys for their work. There is also a dual degree program where you can earn a Bachelor and Master of Arts in sports communication & media in five years. 

For undergraduate programs, you can learn more by emailing enroll@sacredheart.edu or calling 203-371-7880. For graduate programs, program information can be found by emailing gradstudies@sacredheart.edu or calling 203-365-7619.