Super Bowl: Food Sellers Look to Run Up the Score

First, let's pause for a moment of silence for all those chickens who are giving their lives for this event. I think what's different about the Super Bowl from the other holidays is the others tend to center around a meal (Thanksgiving turkey, 4th grilling, etc.) while Super Bowl is a snacking event.

What I've noticed over the last 20 years is that this is a 3-tiered event at our house. The guys and the older kids are focused on the game and want to munch (and yes, drink a bit). The women are somewhat less interested in the game and (stereotypically) want better snacks - either healthier or more elaborate. Young kids are there for fun and do their best to ignore the adults.

To the extent this generalizes, then food retailers can benefit by recognizing the multiple audiences even within one household and play on the variety aspect.

GO PATS!

Dr. Stephen Needel, Managing Partner, Advanced Simulations

There's a lot more snacking and eating of less healthy foods going on during Super Bowl versus other food-gorging holidays. A lot of that eating is done on disposable plates with disposable cutlery.

Retailers can capitalize on the day by offering a broad selection of prepared foods that are easy to serve and eat. Paring food and beverages into promotional packages can increase basket size.

Max Goldberg, Founding Partner, The Radical Clarity Group

Super Bowl has been the #1 party day in the U.S. since the late '70s. It is nothing like Thanksgiving or even the 4th of July. The greatest opportunity for food retailers is not to overthink this now traditional event. Stack up the chips, the dips, the beer, the soda, the fixin's for chili and wings, disposable plates and cups, and any prepared food that can be eaten with fingers.

Gene Detroyer, Professor, Entrepreneur, Adviser, Consultant, Independent

Super Bowl get togethers are focused on transforming one's self into being a member of the winning team. That's fun, exhilarating and self-appreciating ... at least as long as the game lasts. You are usually with uninhibited folks of your own generation. That lowers the rules and permits excess food-gorging and drinking to be part of the event. Sounds like fun.

Unlike Thanksgiving, where multi-generational family rules exist, attendees at Super Bowl game parties are of a single mindset: Party. That makes this food-gorging holiday more fun than watching grandpa fall asleep with a tummy full of turkey and suffering the tedium that precedes the moments prior to departure.

Retailers should go all out to capitalize on the Super Bowl phenomenon not only by sponsoring Super Bowl game parties in both customers' homes but also in tail-gating parties on their parking lots.

Gene Hoffman, President/CEO, Corporate Strategies International

Retailers can align with viewers of the Super Bowl by incorporating foods associated with the states of the teams -- chowder/fish/or even be creative and have prepared foods that were eaten by the "patriots" of our country's founding, and then foods that are associated with NY/NJ like thin crust pizza, NY Apples and large-sized items to play off of "Giants." Lastly, when in doubt, go for cakes or cupcakes frosted or iced in team logos or colors.

David Zahn, Owner, ZAHN Consulting, LLC

A number of retailers have turned capitalizing on the Super Bowl into an art form.

Watch for Walmart to build stackbases in their action alley adjacent to grocery piled high with chips, dips, spreads, drinks, decorations, cakes, cookies, and all the disposable serving wear and cutlery needed. There will be adjacent displays of ready-to-eat and frozen entrees to supplement the snack infested event.

It is a time for most Americans to forget about their waistline, the economy, the unemployment line, their lousy job or the next mortgage payment and just get lost in a world of football, food and friends.

Retailers who keep shopping simple through displays and adjacencies will be doing all that they need to do to capitalize on this truly American "holiday."

Charles P. Walsh, President, OmniQuest Resources, Inc

The Romans had bread and a circus where gladiators fought and died while the audience gorged and drank. Fast forward to the present and we have the Super Bowl where gladiators fight and get rich (and admittedly beaten up pretty badly). As it's said, the more things change....

As far as healthy alternatives, give me a break. I'm going to watch these athletes smash into each other and dine on celery and carrot sticks? Yeah, right.

Bill Emerson, President, Emerson Advisors

One key unique aspect of this event is that it holds perhaps the most opportunity for impulse purchases, versus other holidays or events. The shopper knows they want snacks, however, the most compelling in-store displays win the business.

Ralph Jacobson, Global Consumer Products Industry Marketing Executive, IBM

Many of our holiday celebrations center around a meal. Super Bowl is all about grazing. Instead of a the meal being the focal point, the TV(s) are.

With the other events there might be some nutritious fare as part of the meal. With Super Bowl is more typically what I would refer to as "man food" -- totally tasty, but certainly not healthy in the quantities that will be consumed.

Steve Montgomery, President, b2b Solutions, LLC

Super Bowl Sunday is the #1 day of the year for all pizza delivery companies. I rest my case.

Lee Peterson, EVP Creative Services, WD Partners

As has been mentioned, this event is a snacking event versus the meal event for Thanksgiving (turkey and fixings) and 4th of July (hamburgers, hotdogs, and a grilled chicken breast here and there). Another significant difference is that Super Bowl is all about friends versus other meal-centric holidays like Thanksgiving. This, and the fact that the average weight of the people on TV is closer to 300 than 200, combine to make this easily the most unhealthy snack event of the year -- we we celebrate that fact!

So, what should retailers do? How about doubling down on prepared snacks versus the usual prepared meals? How about offering event specific dips and spreads? How about making healthier choices easy with prepared veggie trays, pita chips and hummus, and whole grain pizzas? Although to be honest, at our house all of this healthy fare is likely to get a coating of ranch dip before being enjoyed.

Verlin P. Youd, SVP Sales & Marketing, SCOPIX

The beauty of the social event that the Super Bowl is for food marketers is in sampling. Encouraging Americans to experiment with new recipes, trying ingredients that have not been experienced to date, leads to future purchase. Bring your recipe to the party, share with others via social or e-mail post party and share a valuable coupon with friends and family. It is the perfect way to gain new users and build an affinity for products linked to memories of the spectacle that is the Super Bowl.

David Slavick, VP, Retail Consulting, Customer Communications Group