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7 Million Reasons Why Big Game Ads Impact PR Practitioners

Posted on Feb. 12, 2024  /  Subscribe 0

In a world where everyone has an opinion on the ads that run during most watched TV program of the year, the Big Game, there will be an impact that lasts beyond Sunday. $7 Million was the going rate for a 30-second commercial in the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers Big Game.

During a year when the Detroit big three automakers, and Michigan’s big two mortgage companies opted to sit this one out, probably for the better, here’s what we experienced:

Television remains a mainstream medium, but mostly for sports and especially the NFL.

Storytelling and the messaging are key to these best ads of the year. Most ads go one of two routes with their audiences: evoking emotion or being humorous.

There are learnings all exceptional public relations professionals should take away from this annual culture moment. But what if you don’t work with global companies? Unique local spots also air and getting these ads right takes more than those in advertising.

More than Ad Men Behind the Scenes
When advertisers decide to buy a spot, draft a script, hire celebrity spokespersons and produce the commercial, all members who touch communications need to be involved. The social media manager, who will deal with the front line of the excitement or backlash. The marketing manager, who needs to know details for leveraging integrated approaches. The creative director to make sure brand guides are being followed. The copywriter, to ensure messaging is consistent. And, yes, the public relations manager to ensure there is an aligned answer to ‘does this ad affect our audience and is it relevant?’ Media often contact the PR team as soon as they hear an organization will run a spot for comment and will likely do so again after the full commercial drops. The story media then runs with can make or break the ad’s response.

The Ad team should work in tandem with the PR team to ensure the brand voice, identity, mission and messaging mirror what is already in the works meets the goals and objectives for the coming year.

While many look at the Big Game as a time to do something different and edgy, communication experts know that consistency is key. Brands that maintain one voice across communications create a sticky message. Brand voice, also known as the brand’s personality, is the essence of who a brand is and what it represents. The ad needs to be authentic and harmonious.

If voice is not authentic to the organization’s roots, you’ll never gain the trust and loyalty of current and future audiences.

The PR team should also be leveraged to put together a response plan to work to ensure sentiment stays in the company’s favor. In this rapid online age, response rollouts now start before and during the game.

The ad campaign needs to be deliberate, not flashy fanfare and feeding executives or stockholders’ egos.

Analyzing 2024’s Ads
Shifts we saw and questions we asked – campaigns are now more than about one celebrity’s orbit. The need for multiple celebs is perhaps to connect with multiple generations or audience segments at the same time, maximizing ROI on the enormous spend.

Where were the call-to-actions? We no longer saw ads that used a hashtag to take the discussion to X/Twitter. There were no contests or interactive games for viewers to participate in beyond Gronk’s FanDuel deal. Very few ads even shared their website link. Stellar advertisers should be asking ‘What do you want this huge audience to do next for your brand?’ and executing on that answer.

We are continuing to see multi-channel campaigns that leverage longevity of the ads as organic and paid placements on TikTok and Instagram to stay memorable.

We saw teasers gain traction in recent years. If the pre-releases maintained their traction, the Uber Eats David and Victoria Beckham, and Jennifer Aniston spots would have been the biggest hit during the football game. However, it feels like too much of their steam was let out too many days in advance.

2024 Winners*
My pick for the most entertaining as well as most buzz generating series of ads was the DunKings, for Dunkin’, which packed in six celebrities and a TikTok star. Tom Brady, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon – Bostonians – formed a boy band with Jennifer Lopez producing.

However, this pick comes with an asterisk. What is not being discussed is the (lack of) ethics behind this massive spend. Dunkin’ ranks first for most workers relying on Medicaid and food stamps in multiple states. Instead of paying already wealthy athletes, singers and actors, they could be building buzz for raising pay to livable wages and providing better customer service. That buzz would likely last longer than a few days like the DunKings around the Big Game.

USA Today’s Ad Meter ranked State Farm’s Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito spot as #1, edging out the DunKings.

Takeaways
Above all, the real winners and the brands that maintain their voice, values and ethical foundations. Staying true to your brand means never wavering on voice. A consistent voice and presence give your audience something to trust.

As a PR practitioner, you can be a winner by anticipating any and all ramifications and ensure all players on the communication team are involved from the onset of creating the campaign.

Props to Detroit brands for sitting this one out and focusing on other channels of their media strategies and ensuring they align with business priorities, especially during this economy.

Missed some ads? Re-watch all the commercials here.

Rachel LePoudre, APR, is a PRSA Detroit Board member and social media committee chair.

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