It’s that time of the year again. Football fans all over the country are getting ready for the big game, breaking out the football jerseys and clearing their schedules for Superbowl Sunday. But they’re not the only ones. Brands, big and small, are gearing up for the game, preparing their killer line up of social media content. In recent years, social media has completely altered the way we view big pop culture and sporting events. Deemed “culture-jacking,” it has now become a common practice for brands to capitalize on popular events such as these to increase their brand awareness on social media. And it’s changing the way we advertise.
Social media has become an almost ingrained part of these events. There were 24.9 million tweets about the Superbowl sent out during the live broadcast of the big game last year. And I bet you won’t be able to scroll through your Facebook feed after the game without seeing at least six status updates about it. Brands are jumping on the bandwagon as well, taking advantage of the sheer volume of tweets and status updates these events generate in order to boost their own exposure. And can you blame them? It’s a highly effective way to increase your brand awareness, even if just for a short period.
Last year, hashtags were used in 57% of the Superbowl ads, something that wasn’t even possible ten years ago. Superbowl ads can now be viewed year round on YouTube. Brands are turning a four-hour event into a spectacle that lasts weeks, all thanks to the Internet and social media. In fact, the majority of companies that have Superbowl ads this year are supplementing their ads with digital experiences, such as teasers, contests, and social media ads that run in the weeks prior to the big game.
Doritos provides a great example of creating an integrated marketing experience that is boosted by the popularity of the Superbowl. Their “Crash The Superbowl” campaign is going on its 7th year and has yet to lose it’s spark; one could argue that it’s gotten even more popular in that time. By heavily involving users in the process and allowing them to create user-generated content, Doritos is able to create excitement and buzz on across a number of channels: social media, web, and television.
Unfortunately, running a campaign like this can cost big bucks. Even the cost of targeted Twitter ads (in relation to football and the Superbowl) skyrockets in the days leading up to the big game. How can your brand get involved if you do not want to shell out all that cash?
- Keep it simple: sending out a simple “who are you rooting for?” tweet can go a long way. These types of posts will generate a conversation on your page, increasing the amount of engagement, and brand reach on the platform. This provides a great way to make your brand more relatable to users and remind them that there are people behind the brand.
- Capitalize on special moments: If you are familiar with the World Cup, you probably remember the Luis Suarez biting incident, but you may not be as familiar with all the brand responses.
Hey @luis16suarez. Next time you’re hungry just grab a Snickers. #worldcup #luissuarez #EatASNICKERS pic.twitter.com/3RAO537HjW
— SNICKERS® (@SNICKERS) June 24, 2014
- Write a blog: While it may not gain as much as exposure and engagement as a social media post, a blog provides a great way to refresh content on your website and can aid in boosting your brand awareness on search engines. It’s more long-lasting and provides certain SEO benefits to your site, as people are searching for keywords related to the event.
- Run a contest/giveaway: Contests and giveaways attract a lot of attention on social media. Combining this with a major event, like the Superbowl will only increase the popularity. Try tying in your Facebook contest to the Superbowl, such as giving away a big screen TV to watch the game on, or a gift card.
If you’re interested in taking your social media to the next level, Glint can help. Glint has partnered with clients to create compelling, integrated marketing strategies unique to each organization’s goals and ideals. Give us a call today to find out how we can help you reach your goals at (817) 616-0320, or e-mail us at agency@glintadv.com.
