Swifties seeing a pop star fall in love with a football star.
Usher headlining the half-time show.
Speculation that Justin Bieber could join him.
Tiesto becoming the ‘first in-game superstar DJ for Super Bowl’.
You can even feel the buzz from Australia, where we generally don’t care that much about American Football.
Who plays in the Super Bowl?
NFL teams are divided into two ‘conferences’, and the winners of each conference face one another in the Super Bowl, playing for some money, a Super Bowl ring, and a visit to the White House.
This year, the Kansas City Chiefs will play the San Francisco 49ers on Monday 12 February, at 10:30am Sydney time.
Why are you telling me this, Spaceship?
It could be the biggest Super Bowl ever:
- For betting agencies, who are benefitting from a Taylor Swift bounce (she’s currently dating Travis Kelce, a ‘tight end’ for the Chiefs);
- For television networks, who could benefit from record-setting viewing audiences;
- And for brands – who could also benefit from record-setting viewing audiences.
That’s where the ads come in
In 2023, around 121 million people tuned in to the Super Bowl, which had a total reach of around 200 million Americans according to Sportcal.
It’s rare to get so many eyeballs in one spot, which is why so many advertisers salivate at the prospect.
In 2024, brands will again be showcasing their products, with 30 second spots at this year’s game costing around $7 million each according to AdAge.
The history of Super Bowl ads
Ads have been running during the Super Bowl since at least 1968, per Time Magazine, which has a record of one of its critics complaining about the ‘irresistibility of the attraction’ that drew in brands that paid $150,000 per minute for exposure to the 70 million viewers who tuned in that year.
Over time, the ads, along with the half-time show, have become a drawcard for those who could take or leave the actual football.
Who’s advertising in the Super Bowl this year
Here’s a heads up about five Spaceship Voyager companies that have booked ad spots and released teasers or ads for the Super Bowl this year.
1. Google, advertising the Pixel’s accessibility features
Google’s in all three Spaceship Voyager portfolios.
It released its Super Bowl ad early.
It tells the story of how a man uses Guided Frame, which is an AI-powered accessibility feature on the Google Pixel, to capture moments from finding love to starting a family.
The ad’s called ‘Javier in Frame’ and is directed by Adam Morse, an award-winning filmmaker who is also blind.
2. Dove premieres ‘Hard Knocks’ with ambassador Kylie Kelce
Dove is owned by Unilever which is in the Spaceship Origin Portfolio.
Its Super Bowl ad takes a look at the depressing stat that 45% of girls quit sport before age 14 due to body confidence issues.
Ambassadors for the campaign include Kylie Kelce, Travis Kelce’s sister-in-law.
3. CrowdStrike, embracing the Wild Wild West
CrowdStrike is in the Spaceship Universe and Spaceship Earth Portfolios.
Set in the Wild West, CrowdStrike’s ad compares the existential threat of a cyber attack to bad guys invading a town in a Western movie.
They’ll reveal the full thirty second spot at the Super Bowl.
4. Uber Eats, featuring David Beckham and Victoria Beckham
Late last year Netflix released its Beckham docuseries.
A breakout moment from the show included Victoria trying to argue that she grew up working class, while David poked his head in the door and persisted until she admitted she was driven to school in her dad’s Roll’s Royce.
Uber is using the power of celebrity and this viral moment to recreate the video – at least in its teaser ad.
Uber is in the Spaceship Universe Portfolio. Netflix which could see a secondary benefit, is in the Spaceship Universe and Spaceship Origin Portfolios.
5. Starry, featuring Ice Spice
Starry is owned by PepsiCo, which is in the Spaceship Origin Portfolio.
Most of us hadn’t heard of, let alone tasted Starry until now – but now we just might, thanks to the power of the Super Bowl ad, featuring Ice Spice.
Ice Spice is a huge star and was chosen for the campaign because she’s “influencing hip hop by bringing a new signature style to the industry. Similarly, Starry is providing a refreshing burst of crisp, clear lemon lime flavour…” said Starry’s head of Brand Marketing, Michael Smith.
Other elements of their ‘It’s Time To See Other Sodas’ campaign are playing out on Tinder, and TikTok.
Where can you watch the Super Bowl in Australia?
Super Bowl LVIII will stream on Channel 7, 7Mate, 7Plus, ESPN, and Kayo, from 9am.
Channel 7 is owned by Seven Group Holdings, which is in the Spaceship Origin Portfolio. ESPN is owned by Disney, which is in the Spaceship Universe and Spaceship Origin Portfolios. Kayo ladders up to NewsCorp, which is in the Spaceship Origin Portfolio.
Some of our Spaceship Voyager portfolios invest in Alphabet, Unilever, CrowdStrike, Uber, and PepsiMax, Seven Group Holdings, Disney, NewsCorp, and Netflix at the time of writing.
Important! We’re sharing with you our thoughts on the companies in which Spaceship Voyager invests for your informational purposes only. We think it’s important (and interesting!) to let you know what’s happening with Spaceship Voyager’s investments. However, we are not making recommendations to buy or sell holdings in a specific company. Past performance isn’t a reliable indicator or guarantee of future performance.
