From Bradley Cooper directing a T-Mobile commercial, to Jon Hamm and Brie Larson being trapped in a refrigerator with a jar of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, the stars were out for this year’s Super Bowl commercials. We even got some brand-building spots from Jesus!

Despite who was the better team to win, the Chiefs or the Eagles, brands also contended for a spot to be featured during the 57th Super Bowl – but, they had to pay-to-play. The average cost of a 30 second spot was $7 million, up from $6.5 million last year.

The Super Bowl is often seen as the biggest advertising event of the year, attracting a large audience and high ad prices. However, for many companies, marketing partnerships can be an  effective way to reach younger consumers and be perceived as being “in” with the right crowd. In this article, we will explore the advantages of marketing partnerships over taking advertising during the Super Bowl for companies targeting a younger demographic while looking to be more thoughtful and targeted in their marketing efforts.

Relevance to Younger Consumers

One of the biggest advantages of marketing partnerships over Super Bowl advertising is relevance to the target audience. The Super Bowl is known for its broad audience, including people of all ages and interests. While this large audience can be appealing to some companies, it can also mean that the ads shown during the Super Bowl may not be relevant to certain younger demographics.

Oftentimes marketing partnerships can better allow companies to reach a more targeted and relevant customer. For example, if a company is looking to reach younger consumers interested in a particular lifestyle or hobby, they can save a lot of money by partnering with a brand that already has a following in that space. This way, the company can tap into the partner brand’s existing audience and reach their target consumer more effectively.

Cost-effectiveness

Another reason for marketing partnerships being advantageous over Super Bowl advertising is the obvious cost-effectiveness. Super Bowl ads are known for their high costs, with 30-second spots going from $42,500 in 1967 to today’s $7 million, which doesn’t include the making of the advertisement itself. This can make it challenging for many companies, especially smaller brands, to justify the cost.

Marketing partnerships, on the other hand, can be much more cost-saving. The cost of a partnership can be shared between the two companies, reducing the burden on any one company. Many times, it can be little-to-no cost. Additionally, partnerships can often deliver more value for the money with a longer lifespan.

Authenticity

Super Bowl ads can come across as less genuine due to their commercial nature. 69% of audiences distrust advertising and see it as just noise. Younger consumers especially are often skeptical of traditional advertising, so it’s essential for brands to find new and creative ways to connect with them.

Younger consumers are often looking for brands that are genuine and authentic. 85% of Millennial and Gen Z audiences say that authenticity is an important aspect in a brand and its brand marketing. 77% of consumers are also more willing to spend money to support such a brand over one that’s not authentic. This is where marketing partnerships can be especially effective. A partnership between two brands that have similar values often results in a more authentic and credible message, as they are working together to promote their shared point of view. The consumers that are being marketed to are already consumers of at least one of the brands in a brand alliance, hence, there is already a sense of trust in place.

Measurable Results

Another advantage of marketing partnerships is their measurable results. Partnerships can be more easily measured in terms of their impact and return on investment, allowing companies to make more informed decisions about future marketing efforts. This can be especially valuable for companies that are looking to be more strategic and targeted in their marketing efforts. According to research done by Impact.com and Forrester Consulting, low-maturity partnership programs can contribute 18% of overall company revenues and high-maturity programs can contribute 28%.

Super Bowl ads, on the other hand, can be more challenging to measure. While there may be a spike in brand awareness during the event, it can be difficult to determine the long-term impact of a Super Bowl ad. This makes it challenging for companies to make informed decisions about future marketing efforts.

Long-term Impact

Finally, marketing partnerships often have a long-lasting impact on consumer behavior. Partnerships can help build relationships between brands and consumers, creating a more loyal customer base. This is because partnerships allow brands to work together to create a shared message and reach a common goal. Partnerships not only last longer, but can also be renewed by running new campaigns when results are positive.

Super Bowl ads, on the other hand, may be quickly forgotten. The impact of a Super Bowl ad is often limited to the event itself, and the ad may not have a lasting impact on consumer behavior. According to YouGov’s 2022 Super Bowl Ads market research, brands such as Doordash, Uber Eats and Robinhood experienced an increase in ad-awareness, however, the increase in ad-awareness did not increase consideration of using the brand’s product. In fact, many advertisers found the scores for consideration to be flat and not much changing from the beginning of the ad campaign to the end. 

Summary

Marketing partnerships offer a number of advantages over Super Bowl advertising for companies looking to reach younger consumers that are looking to be perceived as authentic and in with the right brands. From relevance to cost-effectiveness, authenticity, measurable results, and a longer-term impact, marketing partnerships offer a more effective way to reach the target audience and achieve marketing goals.

By partnering with a brand that already has a following in the desired demographic, companies can tap into a pre-existing audience, reducing the cost and effort required to reach the target market. Additionally, partnerships are often more authentic and credible, resonating better with younger consumers who are skeptical of traditional advertising. Furthermore, partnerships can be more easily measured in terms of their impact and return on investment, allowing companies to make more informed decisions about future marketing efforts.

In conclusion, while Super Bowl advertising may have its place in certain marketing campaigns, at Regatta, we specialize in developing and activating marketing partnerships to ensure companies find success. Just like Rihanna’s Halftime Show, in which she was harnessed to the movable platforms of her stage, our approach to partnerships will keep you tethered to authenticity and measurable results. Contact us to learn more about how to up your partnership marketing game!