Cultural Phenomenon: The Evolution of Super Bowl Commercials

Since its original creation back in 1960, The Super Bowl has transcended beyond just a football game and has become a globally regarded cultural event. Every year, companies compete for a coveted spot in the Super Bowl commercial lineup, where they can unveil their newest products and services to millions of viewers. These high-profile television commercials, colloquially known as Super Bowl ads, are often more like mini-movies, featuring celebrity cameos, special effects, and unforgettable visuals.

The ads are well-known for their unpredictability, cinematographic quality, unpredictability, and use of special effects, making them an essential part of the Super Bowl experience. 

The phenomenon of Super Bowl commercials is a result of the game’s extremely high viewership and broad demographic reach. Super Bowl games have frequently been among the United States most-watched television broadcasts, making them the perfect platform for companies to reach a broad audience. From car companies to soft drink brands, many well-known names have become synonymous with the Super Bowl experience thanks to their memorable and creative ads.

This year’s ads took a very light touch and focused on being fun and making the viewer feel good. Most followed a clear formula of combining A-list celebrities with humor, with some using nostalgia and/or music to good effect.

Charles Taylor, Marketing professor at Villanova University for CBS NEWS

The Ultimate Marketing Showcase: Super Bowl Ads and the Critical Role of a Strong Domain Strategy

Super Bowl commercials have become a highly competitive space where companies showcase their latest products and services to millions of viewers. In this context, a strong domain marketing strategy is essential to an effective Super Bowl ad campaign. 

A memorable domain name can improve brand recognition and recall, the key elements for creating a lasting impact on the audience and converting viewers to clients. This is particularly important in the digital age, where having a solid online presence is critical for businesses of all sizes. By showcasing their domain name prominently in Super Bowl ads, companies can create brand awareness and drive direct traffic to their website. In addition to a good domain strategy, companies are leveraging social media to promote their ads and develop a sense of community around their brand.

In this article, we will examine a selection of advertisements that grabbed viewers’ attention, their marketing approach and domain strategies.

Google, ‘Fixed on Pixel’ 

Google Pixel’s “Fixed On Pixel” ad for Super Bowl 2023 was a brilliantly creative and clever showcase of their product’s features. With the help of celebrities Amy Schumer, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Doja Cat, the ad showcases their Magic Eraser feature in a humorous and relatable way. 

The ad highlights how the product’s feature can help people erase embarrassing moments from their past, whether it’s athletes like Giannis or regular people who regret taking pictures with their exes. The feature allows users to easily delete these moments without compromising the quality of the photos. Amy Schumer’s funny one-liner: “I can erase my exes?!” adds extra punch to the product’s feature. 

I know so many others who share a similar story, which is why this year’s Super Bowl ad, “Fixed on Pixel,” takes a lighthearted look at those photos we all have that need a little bit of fixing.

Daryl Butler Vice President, U.S. Devices & Services Marketing, Google

Overall, the ad did an excellent job of presenting the product’s features in a fun and humorous way while keeping the practical and useful aspects intact. It perfectly captured the essence of the Super Bowl and showcased how the product could help people in their everyday lives.

The video ended with the message “The only phone engineered by Google”, followed by the domain name GoogleStore.com. This domain directly takes viewers to the specific product they were promoting, drives traffic to a company’s website and ultimately increases sales, which is an essential element of a successful Super Bowl ad campaign.

Temu, “Shop like a Billionaire”

Temu, the U.S. shopping app owned by Chinese e-commerce giant PDD Holdings Inc., made a bold move by airing a commercial during the Super Bowl, an event that draws millions of viewers and costs millions of dollars for ad spots. The decision highlights Temu’s ambition to crack the highly competitive U.S. e-commerce market, following in the footsteps of other Chinese online shopping companies.

The 30-second commercial features a curly-haired woman trying on clothes with just the touch of her smartphone. As she adds items to her cart, they appear on her and the characters surrounding her on her walk. The commercial ends with the message, “Download the Temu app and shop like a billionaire.”

Temu has leveraged the strength of its CVCV domain name, Temu.com. CVCV domain names (which stands for “consonant-vowel-consonant-vowel”) are highly coveted by brands because they are short, easy to remember, and flexible, making them valuable assets in a company’s digital presence. By using the domain name Temu.com, the company can ensure that viewers are directed straight to their website and can easily download the app, resulting in increased brand recognition and sales. 

The proper pronunciation of Temu is “tee-moo,” and the company has taken a strategic step to protect its brand by securing the domain name Teemoo.com as part of its domain name strategy. This move helps to ensure that customers who may accidentally misspell the brand name will still be directed to the company’s website, rather than to a competitor’s site or to an error page.

The Farmer’s Dog,  “Forever”

The Farmer’s Dog, a fresh dog food company, made waves during the Super Bowl with their heartwarming and emotional ad that won over viewers’ hearts. The ad follows the story of a woman and her puppy named Bear, from childhood to adulthood. Through the ups and downs of life, Bear remains a constant companion, and it’s implied that his healthy diet from The Farmer’s Dog played a part in his long and happy life.

Anyone with a dog knows – nothing is more important than more years together. And that’s what inspired us to make our latest TV ad – celebrating the full, healthy and happy life we ​​want all dogs to live with their best friends.

The Farmer’s Dog

Titled “Forever,” the ad features Lee Field’s 2022 single of the same name, and it quickly became a favorite of viewers, scoring 6.56 out of 10 in voting by Ad Meter viewers tasked with rating all 51 commercials. The commercial’s powerful storytelling, combined with its message about healthy dog food, resonated with viewers and showcased the unique selling proposition of The Farmer’s Dog.

The Farmer’s Dog’s Super Bowl ad ends on an emotional note with the message “Nothing matters more than more years together” on the screen. In addition to the message, The Farmer’s Dog included their exact brand match domain name, TheFarmersDog.com, at the end of the ad. This strategy ensures that interested viewers looking for more information can easily find the company’s website without having to search for it.

Rakuten, “Not So Clueless”

Rakuten, a top shopping platform that offers cashback and rewards, revealed its 2023 Big Game campaign, “Not So Helpless,” during the Super Bowl. The commercial features Alicia Silverstone reprising her iconic role as Cher Horowitz from the 1995 film Clueless. The 30-second spot appeals to nostalgia for 1990s pop culture, including a reunion between Silverstone and Eliza Donovan, who reprises her original role as Cher’s nemesis, Amber. The ad is a reimagining of the classic debate scene from the movie, where Cher and Amber argue over whether “fiscally responsible shopping” is an oxymoron. Cher ultimately wins the debate by highlighting how easy it is to earn cash by shopping with Rakuten.

As we set out to make our second Super Bowl campaign, we knew we needed a big breakthrough idea that telegraphed shopping. When we saw the concept for ‘Not So Clueless,’ we immediately loved how clearly it communicated that Rakuten is the place to save when shopping, while also tapping into the hyper-relevance of current ’90s trends in culture.

Vicki McRae, Senior Vice President of Brand, Creative and Communications at Rakuten

Rakuten owns the exact brand match domain name Rakuten.com, a key component of effective Super Bowl advertising. Ads only have a limited amount of time to make an impact and drive traffic to the company’s website or platform. By using a strong domain strategy, Rakuten is able to increase brand recognition and recall, which ultimately leads to increased traffic and sales.

PopCorners, “Breaking Good”

PopCorners® made a splash during the Super Bowl with its first-ever ad, featuring a revival of the iconic TV series “Breaking Bad.” The ad, titled “Breaking Good,” was released on game day and pays homage to the original show with a truly authentic approach. The brand partnered with many of the original cast and crew members from the hit series, including actors Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and Raymond Cruz, who reprised their roles as Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and Tuco Salamanca, respectively. The ad is inspired by the original “Breaking Bad” storyline and reimagines iconic scenes, incorporating series elements that are sure to excite superfans. 

There’s nothing better than getting to revive characters who mean so much to us, surrounded by so many of our original cast and crew members, for the most exciting sports event of the year. We’re grateful that PopCorners gave us the perfect opportunity to reunite our ‘Breaking Bad’ family, especially with a brand that I think is about to become everyone’s go-to snack.

Aaron Paul for PR Newswire

Finding PopCorners is easy as their domain name is an exact match to their brand, PopCorners.com. This simplifies the process of locating and remembering the website, which leads to increased traffic and brand awareness, making their marketing efforts more effective.

Premium Domain vs. Super Bowl Ad: A Comparison of Investment Options for Businesses

Super Bowl commercials are among the most expensive ads in the world of advertising, with the cost varying depending on the length and time of the ad. In 2023, the cost for a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl is reported to be between US$6 million and US$ 7 million. This does not include the making of the ad.  This high cost is due to the massive viewership of the Super Bowl, which is one of the most-watched television events globally. 

You can imagine with that much invested in people seeing the brand, a well-planned and executed domain strategy is of paramount importance. If there is a mismatch between the domain name and the advertised brand name, it can result in confusion and distrust among potential customers. 

Some of the issues and risks of a mismatch between the domain and the advertised brand name include:

• Confusion: Customers may get confused if the advertised brand name is different from the domain name. This can lead to a loss of website traffic and potential sales.

• Trust: Customers may become skeptical about the brand’s credibility if they cannot find the website or if they see a mismatch between the domain name and the advertised brand name. This can lead to a loss of trust and reputation, which can be challenging to regain.

• Branding: A mismatch between the domain name and the advertised brand name can negatively impact a brand’s branding efforts. Inconsistency can weaken the brand message and make it difficult to establish a strong brand identity.

• Legal issues: In extreme cases, a brand may face legal issues if the mismatch causes brand infringement or violates trademark laws. This can result in costly legal battles and negative publicity for the brand.

• Loss of investment: Investing in a Super Bowl ad is a significant expense, and a mismatch between the domain name and the advertised brand name can result in a loss of investment if it fails to generate the expected return on investment.

• Competition: A mismatch can also give an advantage to competitors who may have a more consistent and credible online presence. This can result in a loss of market share and potential revenue for the brand.

With all that said, for a business owner or marketer, deciding where to invest a limited advertising budget can be a challenging task. Of course, ideally, this shouldn’t be a choice – who wouldn’t like a premium domain and a Super Bowl ad for their brand? Both can provide value for your brand, and each has different costs, durations, and potential returns on investment. 

In the following table, we compare the main differences between investing in a premium domain and a Super Bowl ad to help you make an informed decision for your business.

Highlights

It is no surprise that all of the companies that ran Super Bowl 2023 ads on our list use .com domains, with 54 out of 59 owning exact brand match domain names.

A premium domain name is an asset that can provide a strong and recognisable online presence for the lifetime of your business. Compared to investing in a Super Bowl ad, the initial investment for a premium domain is likely to be lower, and the ongoing costs are minimal. 

For most business owners, a premium domain can be a more accessible and cost-effective option to enhance their brand’s credibility, visibility, and long-term return on investment. 

None of the companies on the list has included a hyphen in its domain name. One of the downsides of using a hyphen in a domain name is that adding it to your domain name makes it harder to reach when typing.

While we make every effort to ensure the data on our site is accurate, complete, and up-to-date, we cannot guarantee its reliability. Our data is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, or other advice. We strongly recommend that you independently verify any information before relying on it.

Other resources

• Top Media & AdTech Companies and Their Domain Name Choices
• 5 Most Common Ways to Get Your Domain Name Strategy Wrong
• Is Your Domain Name Ready for the Voice Search Era?
• 10 Entrepreneurs Share Their Thoughts on How to Build a Strong Brand Online

Premium domain names are a valuable asset for any brand. They can help you establish credibility, improve your search engine rankings, and make it easier for customers to find and remember your website. If you’re interested in learning more about how premium domain names can benefit your brand, don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.

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