How effective are Super Bowl ads at driving performance?

Global omnichannel communication company Mitto wanted to know, so it surveyed 1,000 U.S. residents ages 18 and older through Pollfish in January and found 52% thought a Super Bowl ad would be a successful use of a brand’s marketing budget, but said the ads do not drive a level of purchasing behavior to warrant the price tag.

Last year a 30-second spot cost about $7 million. Only 23% of those participating in the study said they were likely to make a purchase based on a Super Bowl ad alone. 

The survey found a significant discrepancy in the power of a Super Bowl ad to drive purchases compared with the message.

While large campaigns may believe that a Super Bowl ad increases overall brand awareness, 41% reported they were more likely to purchase from a brand that communicates with them in a continuous and personalized way.

The findings suggest that the millions of dollars brands spend for one Super Bowl ad may not be the most effective approach to driving purchasing behavior.

During the past five years, 41% of consumers say they have only made a decision to purchase an item between one and three times based on a Super Bowl ad, while 27% said they have made no purchases at all. 

The data also showed that personalized ongoing communications are 17% more likely to drive a purchase than a one-time brand awareness campaign such as a Super Bowl ad.

Some 41% of respondents said personalized ongoing communications drive them to purchase, versus 35% for a large campaign. And 55% preferred being approached in a personal way throughout the year over a one-time campaign such as a Super Bowl ad.

Personalized ads also influence genders differently. Female survey respondents said they were 25% more likely to make a purchase based on personalized communications compared with men, who preferred the one-time brand awareness campaign such as a Super Bowl ad.

Men also found viewing these ads to be more effective, with greater likelihood to make a purchase. Women were 60% more likely to prefer a brand that engaged in personalized communications. 

Humor attracts consumers most, the survey found. Some 62% of survey participants cited humor as a factor in driving a purchase. Celebrity appearances followed with 25%, emotional connection about 7%, and relevant brand information at 6%. 

The tone of Super Bowl ads most favorably impacted consumers’ views of a brand. Humorous ads led at 70%, followed by thought-provoking ads at 50%, simple ads at 41%, celebrity appearance at 41%, and sentimental ads at 41%.

Relevant information must be included to make a purchase, 71% of the survey respondents said.

 

 

A study suggests that the millions of dollars brands spend for one Super Bowl ad may not be the most effective approach to driving purchasing behavior.