Skip to main content

Each year, the Super Bowl transcends sports to become an unparalleled advertising-spending spectacle. But is that spectacle merely a bonfire of money set by the vanity of CMOs? At MHMS, we love the competition for attention as much as the yardage battle. The event draws in well over 100 million viewers, making it a golden opportunity for brands to capture national attention. Yet, with 30-second ad spots costing upwards of $8 million, many question whether Super Bowl advertising is worth the staggering price tag. The answer? It depends—specifically on whether a brand needs what we’ll call “weapons-grade awareness.” For brands looking to establish, re-establish, or pivot their public perception, the Super Bowl is more than burning $234,000 a second; it’s a strategic investment in reducing consumer risk and solidifying brand recognition.

Branding: Lowering the Risk of Purchase
At its core, branding is about reducing the perceived risk of a purchase. Consumers are naturally averse to uncertainty, and when faced with choices, they gravitate toward brands they recognize and trust. The more familiar a brand feels, the safer it appears as an option. This is why major consumer brands prioritize brand awareness over product differentiation, particularly in low-involvement categories like beer, snacks, or soft drinks.

Take Bud Light as a case in point. Following a controversial marketing move in 2023 that alienated portions of its core consumer base, the beer giant faced an urgent need to rebuild mainstream appeal. The Super Bowl provided the perfect stage—not just to advertise but to re-frame its brand in the public consciousness. This is the scenario where Super Bowl advertising shines: when the primary challenge isn’t competition but ensuring that when consumers reach for a product, their choice feels like a safe, familiar, and low-risk decision. The role of the Super Bowl in shaping consumer perceptions can enlighten marketers about the power of strategic advertising.

The Ideal Super Bowl Advertiser: Low-Involvement, High-Awareness Brands
Not all brands need Super Bowl advertising. The cost is prohibitively high for niche businesses, B2B companies, and most regional players. However, for national brands that rely on mass consumer appeal—particularly those in low-involvement categories—Super Bowl exposure can provide a crucial edge.

Low-involvement products are those that consumers buy habitually or without deep consideration. This category includes beverages, fast food, insurance, and personal care products. These brands don’t need to educate consumers about complex offerings; they need to stay top-of-mind so that when a consumer reaches for a drink, picks an insurer, or chooses a snack, their brand is the instinctive choice. The Super Bowl delivers the ultimate brand awareness play, ensuring millions see, hear, and remember a brand in the most culturally relevant setting.

When Should a Brand Invest in a Super Bowl Ad?

Super Bowl advertising isn’t for every business but for those seeking to:

  1. Re-establish consumer trust (e.g., Bud Light’s mainstream pivot).
  2. Introduce a bold brand shift (e.g., Uber’s early Super Bowl campaigns normalizing ridesharing).
  3. Maintain dominance in a competitive landscape (e.g., Doritos, ensuring it remains the go-to snack brand).

For brands with these objectives, the Super Bowl offers something that no other ad placement can: a moment of collective national attention, making their brand a household name and, most importantly, the safer, lower-risk choice in the consumer’s mind.

More Than Money

Super Bowl ads are more than simply an advertising spending spectacle; they’re a strategic necessity for brands that require immediate, mass-level consumer recognition. Nothing beats the Super Bowl’s cultural reach in the battle for top-of-mind awareness. In markets where consumers favor what’s familiar, awareness can be the difference between a brand’s rise and its irrelevance. So, while The Big Game isn’t for every advertiser, every advertiser certainly can learn something from watching those budgets go.

Need help optimizing your advertising budgets? Let MHMS help you with your playbook. Contact us today.