As an increasing number of legacy brands opt out of in-game Super Bowl ads, a new class of rookie advertisers is preparing their brands for advertising’s biggest stage.
Last year, Super Bowl stalwarts such as Budweiser, Coke and Pepsi sat on the sidelines, making room for nine first-time advertisers’ big-game debuts. EDO has captured a similar trend in 2022, with brands such as Mars Wrigley, Kraft Heinz, Tide, Hyundai, and others also opting out of Super Bowl advertising in favor of other promotions and marketing campaigns.
This has opened the door for seven (and counting) ad rookies who have confirmed spots in Super Bowl LVI. These advertisers have used various approaches to TV advertising in the last year, but each one has plans to leverage TV as a means to further increase their brand awareness in 2022.
Here’s how several confirmed Super Bowl LVI rookie advertisers — Rakuten, FTX, Crypto.com, Bookings.com, and Wallbox — have invested in TV ahead of their big game spots.
Rakuten more than doubles TV airings in 2021
In the first half of 2021, Rakuten had just over 3,000 ad airings across networks such as HGTV (419), CNN (218), and USA Network (198).
That number doubled from July to December 2021 as Rakuten invested in over 8,700 airings in the last six months of the year. EDO captured Rakuten ads on networks including Hallmark (721 airings), TLC (634 airings), and ION (487) during this time.
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Most of these airings came in the lead up to Christmas. In fact, Rakuten aired five times the amount of ads in November as they did in June.
Though the company formerly known as eBates has had a quiet January so far with just over 300 airings through January 18, its biggest and likely best performing ad of the year will debut next month.
Investing in crypto (ads)
Both FTX Crypto and Crypto.com have had a banner year for raising their brand awareness, and the Super Bowl is the latest attempt to further their US reach.
Last September, the company announced it had secured NFL star Tom Brady and supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen to star in a $20 million ad campaign, which immediately paid off for FTX. EDO data details how ads for FTX during the NFL’s kickoff game on NBC outperformed every commercial except for an ad for Chevrolet. FTX Crypto’s spot drove almost half a million searches for the new trading platform in the minutes following its two airings during the game.
Crypto.com has similarly been making waves in live sports, highlighted by a Q4 marketing blitz that saw the company advertise in 27 NFL games to the tune of $13.1 million in estimated spend and 354.5 million impressions.
The dueling Super Bowl ads will be two to watch as the crypto platforms fight for consumers’ engagement.
No TV ads, no problem for Bookings.com and Wallbox
Booking.com, the travel site which helps travelers make their reservations online, will air a 30-second spot in the fourth quarter of this year’s game. It will be the first national TV ad from the company since January 2020, per EDO data.
Pre-pandemic, the company’s top creatives at the time focused on Booking.com’s campaign with the tagline, “There’s a booking for every resolution.” The 15- and 30-second spots unfortunately didn’t age well, as they supported a host of curated listings to fulfill wishful travelers’ New Year’s Resolutions.
Similarly, Wallbox, the electric vehicle charging brand, has also been absent from the TV commercial spotlight. The Super Bowl will mark the first time Wallbox will advertise on TV. Wallbox will produce a 15-second spot during the second quarter of the big game.
Know What Works: Rookie Advertisers Use TV to Launch Their Brands
As long-time Super Bowl advertisers focus marketing efforts elsewhere, lesser-known brands will use the moment to launch their companies to a new level of awareness.
Despite a clear difference in strategies, this year’s class of rookie advertisers are all leveraging the Super Bowl to reach the right audience, with the right message, and the right placement.
Super Bowl LVI will be the most engaging programming of the year, and rookie advertisers understand that the monetary investment in a national Super Bowl TV spot is worth the consumer engagement that it provides.
Learn more about how EDO can support your Convergent TV advertising strategy with media, creative and audience optimization. Contact us today.