Trendwatch: 5 Themes from Super Bowl LVI Ads
I did something this weekend that I haven’t done in YEARS … I watched the Super Bowl and all of its commercials LIVE! The advent of YouTube meant that I haven’t actually had to watch the game in order to keep up with all the advertising fun, and I didn’t realize until this past Sunday how much I’ve been missing by skipping the big event. Looking at the ads together through the lens of consumer trend watching, there were some clear themes I spotted that I’m going to continue to keep a pulse on this year.
Cryptocurrencies go mainstream?
Crypto made its Super Bowl debut in a big way this year. With three first-time advertisers in the cryptocurrency sphere, it seems to be targeting the mainstream masses. Based on a recent Xcelerant survey run by Directions Research, I already knew that one-in-four Americans were interested in learning more about cryptocurrency before the Super Bowl. I am betting that interest has increased dramatically since Sunday evening. If Coinbase is any indication (their 60-second bouncing QR Code spot yielded 20 million website hits in the first 60 seconds after airing), I’d say that crypto is entering the group chat.
Was it just me or was every car commercial for an Electric Vehicle (EV)?
From Kia’s super charming spot featuring a robot dog to BMW’s star studded Zeus spot, EVs were everywhere during the Super Bowl. How will this translate to consumer behavior? It’s hard to say because the supply of EVs is still quite limited with only a handful of the advertised vehicles available for purchase today. These manufacturers must be betting on the long game, investing in awareness today for a greater share of purchases tomorrow.
Hard Seltzers aren’t going anywhere…
In spite of a slowdown in seltzer category growth in 2021, hard seltzers aren’t going away. Anheuser-Busch returned to the Super Bowl betting big on hard seltzers with two of their six spots dedicated to Bud Light Hard Seltzer and Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer. This AB Inbev investment indicates they are still bullish about growing their share in this “beyond beer” category.
Mixed feelings about the Metaverse…
In spite of Meta only paying for one 60-second spot, (which Twitter generally agrees was depressing and dystopian), the metaverse was the unspoken star of a handful of ads. From Salesforce’s subtle swipe at it in their spot featuring Matthew McConaughey to Bud Light Next’s more optimistic view of the virtual future, the jury of public opinion is still deciding on whether the metaverse will be a good thing for us or not. It will be fascinating to see how the consumer sentiment evolves this year.
Can Irish Spring … be cool?
One of my favorite surprises of the evening was seeing an established brand like Irish Spring enter the chat. I loved seeing Colgate-Palmolive invest in a 50 year old brand that I most remember as my dad’s preferred bar of soap in the 80s. While it is too soon to say how the brand’s first ever Super Bowl spot landed with a younger generation, I can confirm it sparked a lively conversation around, “When is the last time you heard about or thought about Irish Spring?” at my Super Bowl gathering. The sheer surprise of it made it one of our most talked about ads of the night.
If you watched on Sunday, I’d love to hear what you think. What do you think of the advertising mix this year? Did you notice any trends? Follow us on Linkedin to keep the conversation going!
