In order to get in front of the eyes of millions of consumers, brands (and some political candidates) spent up to $5.6 million to feature their ads during Super Bowl LIV and up to $3 million before and after the game. 

Whether it’s for the food, party, friends, or actual game, it is no surprise that the Super Bowl is a major spectacle for sporting and avid commercial-watching fans alike. When viewing the Super Bowl, you can expect to see classic beer, car, and snack brands (looking at you, Doritos) representing proudly, but what about other brands? 

While certain staples like Bud Light, Tide, and Coca-Cola gear up for events like the Super Bowl every year, other brands such as Macy’s, Guinness, Butterball, Reese’s, and Brach’s have their own “Super Bowls” where the Return on Investment (ROI) is high and all consumer eyes are on them. 

Brands mainly participate in these big-time events for two reasons: 

1. To increase exposure or brand awareness.

2. To increase sales. 

Macy’s, Inc. - Thanksgiving Day

You haven’t truly experienced Thanksgiving if you have not eagerly watched the multiple marching bands stepping in tandem, latest up and coming pop stars singing on festive floats, and monstrous balloons filling the streets of New York during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

As the producer of the parade and one of the country’s oldest retailers, Macy’s is speculated to spend around an estimated amount of $13 million on the production - not cheap for a retailer. The parade, however, is a long-term investment in the brand since around 3.5 million people come out to watch it in person and 50 million view it on television (not to mention all of the coverage on news stations leading up to the event) - making it a long-standing tradition for many. 

According to the National Retail Foundation (NRF), “an estimated 165.3 million people are [typically] expected to shop between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday” every year. This gives brands like Macy’s a chance to stand out during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year. 

Butterball - Thanksgiving Day 

What is Thanksgiving without a meal? Food brands also celebrate their Super Bowl on Thanksgiving and who is more prominent on Thanksgiving than the turkey provider themselves, Butterball? With around 40 years of service, Butterball is a staple for the table during the holiday season. 

In 2012, Butterball claimed to sell around 30% of turkeys to consumers. While the brand may not be the leading turkey provider anymore, they are certainly the leading turkey advisor with the Butterball Turkey Talk Line garnering up to 400 calls a day during the holiday months. November truly is their time to shine. 

Guinness - St. Patrick’s Day

Could it be the cornbeef and cabbage, the overdose of green, or just the luck o’ the Irish? St. Patrick’s Day is increasingly becoming a cherished holiday for friends and festivities. 

In 2019, according to WalletHub, 55% of people planned to celebrate, an estimated $5.6 billion was spent, and around 13 million pints of Guinness was consumed worldwide. 

When every other beer brand is going after the Super Bowl, why not take advantage of a popular holiday that not only celebrates alcohol, but also associates your brand with Irish culture to gain exposure?

It’s a win all around. 

Reese’s - Halloween 

In a survey about favorite Halloween candy, Reese’s ranked number one with 36% popularity. Since 95% of consumers spend around $2.6 billion on candy during the Halloween season, this holiday is a big win for the candy brand. Every year, consumers can expect to see Reese’s ads haunt their screens in short, yet entertaining spots. 

This year, however, Reese’s did make an appearance during the Super Bowl and their humorous tone did not disappoint!

Brach’s Candy - Valentine’s Day 

The National Retail Federation estimated Valentine’s Day spending to exceed beyond $20.7 billion in 2019 - this includes spending on jewelry, clothing/lingerie, flowers, cards, and candy. Candy makes up for $1.8 billion of that spending every year. 

Brach’s Sweethearts basically had ownership over Valentine’s Day - especially since this candy would seem random on any other day. The brand was all the rage for 100 years, but recently went bankrupt. Even though Sweethearts are not sold on store shelves anymore, “Conversation Hearts” are expected to fill that gap. 

It’s important for brands to know what they stand for and take ownership of days that represent their values so that their fans can also celebrate. For us, we love to matchmake, so we always host a speed-dating event for marketers around Valentine’s Day! 

The Super Bowl remains a significant day for brands. So take a look at the ads of the #AdBowl in case you missed it! 

One of our agency partners even worked on a spot! Check out the full story here. 

Surely there are countless other brands who have their own Super Bowl - feel free to let us know who we missed in the comments below!