February 13th, 2022 saw Superbowl LVI between the LA Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. Whilst the Superbowl is a sporting event between the 2 best American Football teams of the year, there is plenty of other entertainment on offer.
Half-time Show
The Superbowl half-time show is a famous event that occurs during the end of the 2nd quarter of the game. Celebrity singers perform their hit songs on huge stages in front of 10’s of thousands of spectators in the stadium and millions of viewers watching on TV. The likes of Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Eminem and much more have featured over the years. The Americans are known for being ‘extra’ and this half-time event holds up to their stereotype. There is a lot of interest from abroad as well as domestically, thanks to the international reputation of the performers but also because of funny talking points, and by this, I mean memes. Every year, the internet finds ways of finding an image from the half-time show and making a joke out of it. Check out some examples below:
Superbowl ads
The other entertainment for many is, believe it or not, adverts. In pretty much all situations, nobody likes adverts. However, people’s attitudes change for Superbowl adverts because the companies spend 10’s of millions of dollars on celebrities and a short video promoting their business. Viewers get excited because there is a lot of hype and they are interested in seeing the ideas and celebrities in these ads. There are YouTube videos that are made that feature the best Superbowl adverts of each year which gather millions of views.
However, one advert caught my eye because of its uniqueness. This is, of course, the Coinbase Superbowl ad. For those who don’t know, Coinbase is a platform that facilitates cryptocurrency transactions. While most companies hire celebrities for their ads, Coinbase simply featured a QR code that floated across the screen (much like the infamous ‘DVD Video’ logo which bounced across the TV screen when on standby). For decades, this has entertained children and adults because whenever the logo hits the perfect angle in the corner, it rebounds without deflection. When you think about it, many of the things that we enjoy are weird and unexplainable to someone unaware. Check out this video, showing a stadium getting excited about the log hitting the corner. Now check out this video of Coinbase’s ad. Very similar right?
Was it a success?
Coinbase knew that this would get the attention of the viewer. Having the ad last a minute allowed the viewer time to get out their phone and aim it at the QR code. The landing page from the QR code saw 20 million visits in a single minute! Also, the App went from being placed 186th on the app store to 2nd. This shows how valuable a Superbowl ad can be but also how valuable a well-thought-out marketing campaign can be too.
Harry Buckley 