The race for the Clio Award is on! As the kickoff approaches, we are all in suspense about which advertisers will score big in Super Bowl XLIX. Each year, some of the largest companies in the world spend months planning their Super Bowl advertising strategies. And while some techniques win year after year (you would think that puppies and babies would be old by now, but they never seem to fail), we want to give credit to those brands who have shown they are willing to take a risk with a few secret, spicy or surprising ingredients.
Who are the bold and the brave?
Which companies have come up with original, smart and effective strategies to capture our attention in the weeks leading up to the Big Game?
Let’s take a look at 4 genius ingredients to creating a killer Super Bowl advertising campaign and the brands that are using them best:
#1: A GENEROUS HELPING OF SOCIAL MEDIA
While it may seem obvious, the importance of running a powerful social media campaign is almost as crucial as the Super Bowl commercial itself. So where’s the genius part? When we say “Go Social”, we don’t just mean having a Facebook profile. (duh)
This year, several advertisers are running integrated campaigns, smartly interweaving traditional advertising venues like TV, with videos, memes and posts released exclusively on social channels like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Who’s doing it right?
Wix
While this may be their first Super Bowl commercial, they are jumping right into the game like seasoned pros! In their smart and funny campaign, they are using YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, memes and websites to generate hype for their big debut on February 1.
Wix has put together an impressive team of players to help them make a splash. In their campaign, 5 retired NFL legends (Brett Favre, Emmitt Smith, Terrell Owens, Larry Allen and Franco Harris) have embarked on new careers. Each player has their own Twitter handle, Facebook page and (of course) a Wix website to support their venture.
Wix has been releasing new material daily, including teaser videos like this:
and fun images like this:
What’s more - the players have been posting messages about the campaign on their personal sites and Wix has them promoting each other’s businesses as well!
But the campaign isn’t only virtual - it also extends off-line! On the player’s new websites, fans can buy products, interact with their favorite players or win prizes in one of the several contests that Wix is running.
Mercedes-Benz
Remember that fable about the tortoise and the hare? Think you know who wins the race? Think again! Mercedes is reviving the age old race in a brilliantly integrated media campaign. While Mercedes is revealing little about their actual commercial (or what a luxury car has to do with an animal roadrace), they have launched an exciting campaign on social networks.
They have created a YouTube-based show called “Showdown with Jerry Rice.”
MB has also tapped ESPN hosts Mike and Mike to weigh in with their own opinions on the debate. Watch the clip and see whether Mike likes the tortoise or the hare. (Hint: The answer is “yes!”)
Cast a vote for your animal of choice and enter for a chance to win “The Viewing Party of the Year” with hashtags #teamtortoise/#teamhare and #contest. Or check out who’s winning at BigRace.com.
Buffalo Wild Wings
We have to give credit to this brilliant use of Twitter and YouTube. Buffalo Wild Wings has put together a complete “post game report” made up of real Tweets! It’s a great way to get fans involved and give all of us a good laugh. While they don’t have an ad in the Big Game, they’re taking advantage of the hype to give their own brand a boost. Best of all, BWW made sure not to miss out on a single Emoji!
#2: GREAT SOUS-CHEFS (MAKE YOUR FANS WORK FOR YOU!)
Why spend all the money on making your own Super Bowl commercial, when your fans can do it for you? While the best ad agencies in the world can run out of creative, cutting edge ideas, when you take it to the public, the sky’s the limit!
Who’s doing it right?
Doritos
Nine years ago, Doritos realized they could ask their fans to create ads for them! Without spending a dime, they began to produce outstanding, creative commercials with enormous viral potential. And while we could say it’s getting old, we have to hand it to Dorito; it works! In this year’s Crash the Super Bowl contest, one budding filmmaker will win a job at Universal Studios, $1 million AND the glory of seeing their ad aired during the Big Game.
Pepsi
Pepsi will again be sponsoring the Super Bowl halftime show this year. One of the highlights of the 2013 halftime show was the fan-generated countdown that Pepsi mixed up. Fans submitted almost 100,000 photos and the result was a dazzling mash-up to the tune of Beyonce’s “Countdown.”
Carnival
Making decisions can be tough, especially when you’re a rookie. For their first Super Bowl ad campaign, Carnival is letting fans make the tough calls! Called the Carnival Marketing Challenge, host Cedric the Entertainer has invited the public to vote on their favorite ad. Best of all, one lucky winner will receive a cruise every year for life. The clips are down to four finalists, but you can still vote!
#3 THE SECRET INGREDIENT (BE REBELS!)
Okay, so we have known since high school that nothing gets a girl’s attention like being a rebel. So why should commercials be any different? The brands that go brave, bold and a little bit against the rules are definitely generating hype!
Who’s doing it right?
Newcastle
This is the second year in the row that Newcastle is poking a bit of fun at the Super Bowl bonanza and using the Big Game to boost their PR in a big way. Last year, Newcastle created a hilarious spot featuring Oscar-nominee Anna Kendrick.
This year, the UK-based brewer has Aubrey Plaza building the buzz for their crowd-sourcing commercial creation called “Band of Brands.” The idea is to bring together 20-30 brands to purchase a spot in the Super Bowl.
In an exciting turn of events, the people over at Wix were quick on their feet when they heard about the Band of Brands. They had Brett Favre jump right into the action, promoting his new Favre and Carve with the following tweet:
Hey @Newcastle your beer would go great with a @FavreandCarve fromage and prosciutto plate #itsthateasy #BandOfBrands pic.twitter.com/Skp5YQGEOm
— Brett Favre (@Favre4Official) January 14, 2015
Esurance
We’re not sure exactly what Esurance is up to this year, but any insurance company willing to take a risk with Lindsay Lohan is definitely a rebel, and not in disguise. Lindsay, perhaps best known for her own scandalous ways, is apparently starring in something that has to do with both the Super Bowl and Esurance.
ESurance first made their mark in Super Bowl XLVIII. With John Krasinski as a spokesman, the wiseguys at Esurance bought the first commercial slot after the Big Game.
YouTube
YouTube isn’t exactly crashing the commercial party. No, that would be too easy! The second most popular website in the world is going all out and crashing the entire halftime show.
YouTube is producing a halftime show that will be aired on their Super Bowl AdBlitz channel.
#4 FREE DESSERT (GIVE OUT INSANE PRIZES!)
That’s right - - we can be bought! Traditional advertisers will spend the Super Bowl trying to buy our attention with humor, sex, adorable animals and sleek cars with the single goal of trying to entice us to buy their products. But increasingly, brands are taking another route: Bribery! Well, not exactly, but they are hoping to attract our attention with some very alluring prizes!
Who’s doing it right?
Carnival
They’re giving one lucky fan a cruise every year for life! All you have to do is cast your vote!
Avocados From Mexico
Since giving away green fruits and guac might not generate a serious buzz on Facebook, AFM is offering up a ticket to the Super Bowl, $2,000 for travel expenses and a $2,000 for a shopping spree! It’s not too late to enter the “Avofan Big Game Experience.”
Doritos
The fan who makes the winning Crash the Super Bowl commercial gets to see their ad aired during the Big Game, plus land a job at Universal Studios and $1 million. Enough said.
Mophie
While it’s their first time in the Super Bowl advertising debacle, Mophie, too, has pledged to give away $1 million! The catch is, they will only dole out the prize money if the game goes into overtime. Unlike Doritos, Mophie is spreading the love.They are giving away 10,000 $100 vouchers for their products. Now that’s a lot of juice!
Wix
Wix is running a series of contests together with their all-star team of former NFL players. By following each of these players’ new business endeavors on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, you can enter to win autographed jerseys, signed footballs, and a whole lot more. Check out the Wix hub for details about the contests.
Will these ingenious strategies prove enough to give any of these companies a big win on February 1? Only time will tell! In the meantime, we’ve got our finger on the pulse on Twitter and Facebook as we wait, with bated breath, for the kickoff - or the first commercial break.
