I felt there were a lot of takeaways from this year’s Super Bowl, and based on what we have seen via social media, the brands and advertisers did not disappoint.
There were of course a lot of comments and points being made and shared via social media as well as what were some of the metrics associated with the event on certain platforms. Yet, there were some things I saw that I felt were good to note, especially with Snapchat being a major player this year for the event.
Here were some trends I saw that really struck out to me:
Right Branding for Interactive & Personalized Content
The big winner in my book when it came to social media, especially Snapchat, was Gatorade. Hands down, no question about it! I remember seeing their sponsored lens for the game and I thought – this is BRILLIANT! Naturally, I felt I needed to do this and share with my friends both on Facebook and Twitter.
As soon as I did, the post engagement went off in a huge way, thanks to the fact it was shared by Delmondo and Snapchat! I shared these statistics with my social media class and they were like – wow! How did Gatorade’s lens do overall? Well, it appears it was viewed more than 100 million times. I think that makes it a success.
Right use for ads in Snapchat
Ads in Snapchat? Did they work for SB50? I would say that they did. They were short, visual, and relatable to their brand as well as the event. Pepsi had their ad tied more to anticipation of the halftime show, and Marriott actually did one that was pretty funny (loved the footballs in the elevator!)
Transforming into a global experience
One of the cool features I enjoyed looking at is how the Super Bowl was being celebrated around the world. You really didn’t get to see this on TV, but you got a view through Snapchat. This was really cool to see here to see how this has become quite the global event for people to watch and connect with each other.
Looking at which platform would reign king of live sports
This was of course one of the main questions coming up during the event. Will Facebook Live be the place where people go for sports information and updates? Will Twitter remain the dominant medium? Where will Snapchat fit in?
I feel the answer is this: All platforms had a place, but it depended on who you asked. For me, I was primarily active on Twitter, with Snapchat as a close second. I did like the fact I was able to see both teams – who were pretty active throughout the game on Snapchat – engage and create visual experiences for their fans on this platform.
I will give the edge to the Denver Broncos for a strong storyline throughout the game + their strategic use of their filters, colors, and typography on their snaps. If you want to read a great overview comparing the two teams on their social media presence across multiple platforms, make sure to read Jessica Smith’s post reflecting on the lessons and takeaways from SB50.
I do see the benefit of having Facebook open and I know Instagram had a section for live stream as well, but I am not sure if there was enough awareness about these features. I feel like I am still on Team Twitter when it comes to corresponding, interacting, and engaging with friends and fellow professionals during live events.
Overall, I felt it was a great game overall, and there were a lot of takeaways here for social media professionals, professors, and students to walk away with. It will be interesting to see how this all translates to future events and campaigns for brands this year.
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
