3 Branding Lessons We Can Learn From Super Bowl Ads
As a branding expert who's constantly trying to tap into what makes people tick, I'm a huge Super Bowl fan.
Are you shocked to hear that?! Maybe I should clarify: I'm not here for the game, I'm here for the commercials. Obviously! And that's because the Super Bowl ads are a goldmine for anybody who wants to add some best practices into their own branding playbook.
While we'll still have to wait a few more days to see what the 2024 ad spots are serving up, I thought it would be helpful to dive into some of the lessons we small business owners and self-starters can learn from the most iconic Super Bowl ads of years past. In other words, I'm going to tell you exactly which takeaways you'll want to bring back to your own branding/marketing efforts to hit it out of the park (is it sacrilege to make a baseball pun in a post related to football? Oh well!).
Three important lessons we can learn from memorable Super Bowl moments:
1. Repeat After Me: Redundancy Works
Remember Britney Spears' Pepsi ad? It debuted at the 2001 Super Bowl and has lived in my head rent free ever since. From that moment forward, that ad played everywhere, and for years! And you know what else was everywhere? The Pepsi branding. Britney was practically dripping in it, right down to the Pepsi logo belly-button ring.
Now, I know not all of us can afford to contract Brit for our marketing campaigns, but here's the major takeaway from the success of this ad: Constant exposure pays off, and consistency beats relentless reinvention.
In other words, don't shy away from repetition. Especially in a time when people have the attention span of a goldfish, it's actually really important to repeat the same messaging over and over again, and to splatter your branding all over every last communication touchpoint. I know it can feel a little uncomfortable sometimes, but try to reframe it because it's actually a power move. Lean on your brand's core values and visual identity to accomplish this. And remember: Repetition breeds recognition, and recognition leads to sales.
Here’s another real-life example from my agency, Free Afternoon™. We worked with Timber & Tulip on branding and supported them in articulating how the 2D brand elements come to life strategically in their brick and mortar store. See that repittion? Isn’t it lovely?!
2. Optimize the Same Content for Different Platforms
I recently saw Pvolve's new ad featuring Jennifer Aniston while watching the Golden Globes. Now, I know it's not a Super Bowl ad, but for many of us the Globes is our Super Bowl, so bear with me.
After I saw the commercial, I also started seeing the same creative appear in my social feeds. It was all the same content, but the video was captured in vertical and horizontal formats so that it could be optimized for different platforms.
The lesson here is to adapt the same creative for different channels. You don't need to reinvent the wheel for each platform, simply make an optimization plan for the content you're already planning. It'll make your budget go farther, and who can argue with that?
Peek the below. Free Afternoon™ client Blue Pencil Collective worked with us to create video content of their beautiful projects. The below showcases how we used 1 project differently, optimizing the content for each device and purpose (one for their website portfolio and the other for Instagram™ with a call-to-action to visit their site).
3. Embrace Disruption
Remember Coinbase's Super Bowl ad from 2022: The one with the bouncing QR code that mimicked an iconic screensaver from the "computer room" days? It sent social media into a tailspin. People were shocked that a company would run an add with no copy, context, or branding. It could have been a total disaster, but instead it was really disruptive and millions of people scanned the code to solve the mystery that had piqued their interests.
Reddit did something similar for Super Bowl 2021 with this spot where they essentially made a joke that the :07 ad was all they could afford. It was so atypical and different from what people have come to expect from highly-produced Super Bowl ads that it really got people talking.
So, what's the lesson here? Sometimes going against the grain or being the odd one out can turn heads. Just because none else is doing it doesn't mean you shouldn't, so don't be afraid to shake things up if it makes sense for your brand.
Here’s another real-life agency/client example. We wanted the yoga studio to feel bold and unique, a true lifestyle brand, not just a fitness space. You can explore the entire case study here.
Oh, and one last thought…
I would be remised if I didn't tell you that nailing a lot of the above lessons also requires you to have a strong grasp on your brand values and strategy. And because I know you're probably the person in charge of wearing that hat (along with all the other hats you hold), I totally get that it can be hard to stay on top of things. That's part of the reason why I created my newsletter: to deliver insights and critical branding resources directly to your inbox. If you're interested in signing up, drop your info here and I'll add you to my list!
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