Source: Snickers YouTube still
Will Snickers score big with live Super Bowl spot?
The Super Bowl may be the only televised programming where Americans tune in to not only to watch the broadcast, but the commercials, as well. The marketers behind the Snickers brand are hoping their decision to air a live spot during the broadcast will make their candy the clear commercial winner of the big game.
The commercial will feature the actor Adam Driver of Star Wars fame. Mr. Driver plays Kylo Ren, the son of Princess Leia and Hans Solo who turns to the dark side, in the latest episodes of the Star Wars saga.
This year’s spot, a continuation of Snickers’ “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign, marks the third straight year the brand has advertised during the Super Bowl. Last year’s commercial starred Willem Dafoe as Marilyn Monroe from “The Seven Year Itch” where her character’s skirt is blown up over her head while standing on a subway grate. The year before starred tough guy actor Danny Trejo as Marcia Brady from the “Brady Bunch” television series.
“Every year we challenge ourselves to find new ways to satisfy our fans hunger for entertainment by delivering something new and breakthrough, and there is no better way than being the first to have a Super Bowl live ad,” said Allison Miazga-Bedrick, brand director for Snickers, in a statement reported by Ad Age.
In addition to the 30-second spot being broadcast on Fox during the third quarter of the game, Snickers is also doing a live 36-hour stream prior to the game. The live stream will feature appearances from celebrities on the brand’s Snickerslive.com site as well as on its Facebook page.
The brand has engaged in a public relations and social media campaign that is attracting attention. The brand’s YouTube channel includes teaser videos of auditions for the commercial.
- Snickers Live: Horse Casting Part 2 – YouTube
- Snickers Enlists Rising Hollywood Force Adam Driver for Newest Super Bowl Commerical – Mars, Incorporated/PRNewswire
- Snickers Plans a Live Commercial During Super Bowl LI – Advertising Age
- Snickers to Air First Live Super Bowl Ad – The Wall Street Journal
Discussion Questions
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What does it take for brands to break through on the Super Bowl broadcast in today’s world? Will the novelty of a live commercial gain Snickers the type of attention it seeks for its latest spot?
Poll
BrainTrust
Al McClain
Co-Founder, RetailWire
Kai Clarke
CEO, President- American Retail Consultants
Well, it’s different. And isn’t that a primary goal of Super Bowl ads – to be different? Something like this is unique enough that it should connect will with all pre-Baby Boomer generations. The biggest risk is that they fail to pull it off technically. Then, it will grab even more attention on social media, and I’m sure they have a back up plan to respond if/when that happens. If you are going to spend huge $ to advertise in the big game, why not be different?
Great commercials require the perfect mix of unique advertising, memorable messaging and an impactful twist that will push the consumer to purchase the product. We will know how “big” the Snickers commercial will be the day after the Super Bowl when sales start to register the impact of the success of the campaign.
It takes a surprise, which of course means we won’t know it ’til we see it (that being the nature of surprises ).
But to be a true breakthrough it also needs to be a new product as well as a new way of pitching it … however successful Snickers is/isn’t in their efforts, their sales aren’t likely to be radically different this year from last; the same cannot be said for any number of dotcoms and others who need to get their name on the public’s tongues.
Apple’s “1984” commercial still represents the pinnacle for effective Super Bowl advertising. Not only was the spot dramatic and visually captivating, more importantly it contained a message that was relevant for the times and to their product. Brilliant.
In the years post-Apple’s Super Bowl breakthrough, many brands have had success in using humour, heart-melting sentimentality, and of course irresistible animals to break through. Perhaps I’m not part of the demographic, but I can’t see this Snickers’ horse thing having much impact. I get it — the big draw is “live spot with unpredictable animal never been done before, etc.” — but I doubt many people will care. Unless the horse bolts off the set or lays a huge horse pie during the shoot, I suspect the best buzz Snickers will get has already happened — a tepid reaction by the media.
Live commercials were once a common practice on TV. There’s even precedent for animal acts: Ed McMahon and Johnny Carson hilariously hawked Alpo dog food on the Tonite Show in 1973.
I’d bet the Snickers marketing team is desperately hoping for something unexpected to happen during the Super Bowl spot. The long live-stream preamble will increase the odds of that happening.