Each year, the Super Bowl brings in millions of viewers around the world for several reasons:
- The football game, of course
- A highly-anticipated halftime show
- The entertaining commercials
For decades, Super Bowl commercials have been the best way for brands to reach the largest audience – that is if you are willing to pay millions of dollars. Now, social media is beginning to rewrite that narrative, and with a much cheaper price tag.
According to Marketing Dive, Super Bowl LVII brought in 113 million television viewers. However, TikTok alone brought in 225 million views under the hashtag #SuperBowlLVII, not to mention the millions of views on other social media platforms.
This year, many brands who traditionally have a highly coveted 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl chose to forego their spots and pivot their ad efforts to social media instead. State Farm, whose stadium hosted the Super Bowl, ditched its Super Bowl commercial and built a paid social media campaign around TikTok. The #StateFarmStadiumChallenge, led by TikTok’s most followed user, Khaby Lame, and several other notable users, accumulated over 320.8 million views, almost triple the amount of the Super Bowl itself.
State Farm has not released how much money was spent on the campaign but they have confirmed that it was less than the $7 million spot for a Super Bowl ad, which does not include production fees and other expenses that go into creating a commercial.
While prices continue to rise and the popularity of social media advertising increases, it’s safe to say that many brands will likely follow in State Farm’s footsteps in the future. The cost-effectiveness, longevity, and higher engagement numbers that come with social media advertising are something that cannot be ignored and will shape brands’ advertising tactics for the foreseeable future.
As we all adapt to the evolving world of social media, one of Breakaway’s many specialties is helping small businesses manage their social media campaigns. If you are a small-to-midsize business looking to grow your social media presence, let’s talk!
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