Craig Compagnone, MMGY Global, President & COO
For many of us at MMGY Global, the Super Bowl has always been as much about the advertising as it has been about the game itself. Though, with our headquarters in the same city as Patrick Mahomes, the game has become a lot more interesting the last few years!
With spots commanding up to a staggering $7 million price tag this year and reportedly almost selling out of inventory by September, this year is proving to be no different. What is different, however, is how the travel industry is approaching its marketing strategy around the event. Booking.com is the only travel-based advertiser currently in the lineup for the 2023 game. But, that doesn’t mean the industry is avoiding Super Bowl marketing this year. With pockets of leisure demand softening and a need to be more efficient in spending this year, travel brands are just being more inventive.
The Super Bowl Waterfall Effect
The weeklong Super Bowl event creates many opportunities beyond the prime-time paid broadcast spots. Here are just a few ways you’ll likely see travel brands investing their marketing dollars this year.
- Regional Broadcast
Regional buys are an effective tool for reaching key feeder markets and elevating a brand image during the game – without the heavy cost of a national buy. Don’t be surprised if you see spots running by travel brands like Visit Myrtle Beach in key markets throughout the country via linear or connected TV. - Pregame and Postgame Advertising
Pregame advertising is another tool that is frequently used by host destinations or the cities that are lucky enough to represent the teams who are playing in the game. When the game was hosted in SoFi Stadium last year, Visit California invested in a $2 million spot as part of its national campaign – a value considering the cost of spots during the game. - Brand Partnerships and In-Market Activations
The smart investment this year will be on brand partnerships and in-market activations throughout Super Bowl week in Glendale – especially for those brands looking for exposure in and around the Phoenix area. When the game was hosted in Tampa Bay in 2021, St. Pete/Clearwater and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium were able to secure nearly 1 billion impressions across 900 media placements when Nicholas, a rescued bottlenose dolphin, correctly picked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the winning team prior to the game.