The game, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, filled to 30% capacity, will feature Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending champion, against Tom Brady, who is playing in his 10th Super Bowl, this time as a new star Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although Tampa and Kansas City are midsize television markets and the NFL audience has dropped this season, some TV executives predict that the quarterback dispute may attract 100 million or more viewers. Last year’s game had a television audience of 99.9 million.
Fox, which broadcast the 2020 contest, sold all of its advertising space in the Super Bowl ahead of the 2019 Thanksgiving holiday and generated $ 448.7 million in in-game ad revenue – a record, according to the research company Kantar. Sales were slower this year, and CBS did not fill its nearly 70 vacancies until last week.
The attention generated by Super Bowl advertising goes beyond the game. Twice as many people can see commercials on social media sites compared to the broadcast, said Jonah Berger, professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Brands also expect their ads to be distinctive or dramatic enough to generate conversation after the final whistle.
“But that echo effect that many brands are betting on won’t be as big this year,” said Berger. “Fewer people will be speaking in the office on Monday morning, because they will not be in the office.”
Currently, for many companies, commercials are only part of Super Bowl marketing. Verizon’s plan includes sponsoring game sessions on Twitch, a Verizon-branded virtual stadium in the online video game Fortnite, and a post-game concert broadcast live with Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus. The company’s traditional TV commercial “was the easiest thing we’re doing,” said Diego Scotti, director of marketing at Verizon.
Matt Manning, the chief executive of MKTG, said the Super Bowl was “probably the preeminent meeting event” for the advertising industry in a typical year, adding that his colleagues often had trouble booking a hotel room unless 20 mile stadium. This year, because of the pandemic, he is not going, he said.
It will also be the first time in 15 years that Jeremy Carey, the managing director of Optimum Sports, will not be attending the game. He said his company, the sports marketing division of advertising firm Omnicom Media Group, handles up to 20% of Super Bowl advertisers. Even away from the field, he hopes to be tense on Sunday.
“It’s unlike anything,” said Carey. “When you look at the best performing programs out there, nothing comes close. There is nervousness that comes with that – but if you didn’t have that as a Super Bowl marketer, I would question your humanity. ”
John Koblin contributed reports.