Recapping the Big Game’s Biggest Press Releases
Photo by JESHOOTS.com on Pexels
Now that we’re all back in the office after Super Sick Monday, it’s time to recap everything from Sunday.
Brands started sharing their Big Game announcements before the new year even began, but in recent weeks, the game day press releases were a full-fledged wave across the wire. Between January 1 and February 12, PR Newswire distributed nearly 300 press releases that included a mention of “Big Game” and/or “Super Bowl.”
Here are some of the most popular announcements.
The Ads
Source: PRNewsfoto/DoorDash
The game was broadcast across CBS, Nickelodeon, and Paramount+, which led a record-breaking 123.4 million viewers. This makes it the most-watched telecast of all time. A good portion of viewers were watching for the ads – perhaps as many as 25%. The wire was flooded with teasers and early releases for the unique commercials that viewers could expect on Sunday, from new and returning brands, including these ones that readers loved:
- DoorDash Will DoorDash Stuff From All the Big Game Ads to One Lucky Viewer
- Reese’s Fans Scream ‘YES!’ for Caramel Big Cup in Big Game Ad
- New Flavor Icons – Dina & Mita – Heat Up Super Bowl LVIII in First-Ever Doritos® Dinamita® In-Game Commercial
- All-New 2024 Toyota Tacoma Handles it All in Super Bowl LVIII Ad
- America’s Favorite Cookie Embraces Twists of Fate in New Big Game Ad Spot
- NERDS® Makes Bold Big Game Ad Debut Introducing New NERDS Gummy Clusters-inspired Character for First Time
The Celebs
Source: PRNewsfoto/Mars, Incorporated
Is it even a Big Game ad if it doesn’t include a big-name celebrity? As the price for a 30-second commercial spot reached about $7 million for this year’s game, brands had to ensure viewers’ eyes stayed on the screen during their pricey timeslot. Many turned to familiar celebrities to grab attention and sell their message.
Here are just a few of them:
- Mars Releases Star-Studded M&M’s® “Almost Champions” Super Bowl LVIII Ad Featuring Scarlett Johansson Cameo
- Coors Light® Brings Chill to the Big Game with LL COOL J as Conductor of the Iconic Beer Train
- STōK Cold Brew Coffee Unveils First-Ever Big Game Ad Featuring Wrexham AFC and World-Renowned Actor Sir Anthony Hopkins
- Michelob ULTRA Unveils Superior Super Bowl Campaign Starring Global Soccer Icon, Lionel Messi
- Hello Down There: Squarespace Teams Up with Martin Scorsese for its 2024 Super Bowl Campaign
The Food
Source: PRNewsfoto/Hormel Foods Corporation
What to eat during Game Day is more important than who you’re watching it with, according to Frito-Lay’s Super Bowl Snack Index. The survey found that nearly 50% of Americans would rather watch the game surrounded by good food rather than good friends and 57% choose their viewing location based on the snack options.
With that in mind, it was no surprise that we spotted quite a few releases on the wire with recipes and food deals to keep fans fueled during the game. This year, snacks were a big focus. “Snacks are back, from the first-time advertisers to the seasoned vets,” Rick Suter, a senior content strategist at Gannett and editor of USA Today’s Ad Meter, told Marketing Brew.
Here are a few of readers’ favorites:
- Hormel Foods Inspires Fan Snacking for the Big Game with Hormel® Chili Board
- Avocados From Mexico® launches GuacAImole, a first-of-its-kind AI recipe generator
- Gear Up for The Big Game and Score Discounts on 7-Eleven Pizza and Wings
- Jif® is on a Mission to Save Millions of Neglected Celery Stalks.
- Whataburger® Adds A New MVP for the Big Game with the WhataWings® Party Pack
- Frank’s RedHot® and All-Pro Center Jason Kelce Team Up to Put That $#!T on Everything for the Big Game
The Events
Source: PRNewsfoto/FanDuel Group
The game itself is never the only event taking place during the weekend. Companies across the country took to the wire to share details of their timely events. And with this year’s face-off happening in Las Vegas, there was ample opportunity for brands to hold additional game-related events across Sin City. The city was expected to draw more than 330,000 visitors and generate $600 million in revenue throughout the weekend.
These are just a few of the game-related events that took place:
- Got a Super Bowl LVIII Weekend Secret? Pepsi® Invites Fans to Lock Away Wild Secrets Forever in Larger-Than-Life Vault on the Vegas Strip
- Rob Gronkowski Returns For A Live Shot at Redemption in FanDuel’s 2024 Super Bowl “Kick of Destiny 2” Campaign
- Luke Combs Headlines BetMGM Big Game Bash at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Saturday, February 10
- Sphere and NFL Collaborate on Custom Super Bowl Content for the Exosphere Created Exclusively by Sphere Studios
- Wynn Las Vegas Debuts Big Game Weekend Programming
- The Ultimate Big Game Experience ‘Bleau Blitz’ Takes Over Fontainebleau Las Vegas
The Trends
Source: PRNewsfoto/American Gaming Association
A big event like this one is a great opportunity to take a deep dive into the trends surrounding it. We spotted several releases crossing the wire that did just that, revealing some surprising stats about what Americans would be eating, how they’d be watching, and more.
- Groundbreaking Ad Study Reveals Super Bowl Commercials Do Drive Consumer Demand
- Record 68 Million Americans to Wager $23.1B on Super Bowl LVIII
- Americans Will Buy Enough Cheese to Create 8 Million Cheeseboards for The Big Game
- Kroger Gives the Scoop on Big Game Favorites
- Savory Snack Sales Surge 29% During Super Bowl Week 2023
- Travis Kelce is the football player Americans most want as their neighbor
The Tie-Ins
Source: PRNewsfoto/Hellmann’s
The Big Times brings sports, entertainment, food, and consumer products together in one can’t-miss cultural phenomenon. Brands didn’t want to be left out of the action and found creative ways to tie their brand name and products to the game, whether they were in Vegas or not.
- Southwest Airlines Adds More Flights for the Big Game in Las Vegas
- Opendoor Will Help A Real Homeowner Sell Their Home LIVE During the Big Game Halftime
- Hellmann’s Declares a New Holiday, Sick of Food Waste Day, and Encourages Fans to Fight Food Waste the Monday after the Big Game
- Coach Prime and California Almonds Declare Monday After the Big Game ‘National Recover Day’
- Dove Teams Up with Kylie Kelce Ahead of Football’s Biggest Night to Help Keep Girls in Sports After Research Reveals 45% Drop Out Due to Low Body Confidence
There were so many headlines tied to the game that it was impossible to fit them all into this post! Catch up on all the press releases related to the Big Game that were sent via PR Newswire in recent months.
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Rocky Parker is the Manager of Audience and Journalist Engagement at Cision PR Newswire. She's been with the company since 2010 and has worked with journalists and bloggers as well as PR and comms professionals. Outside of work, she can be found trying a new recipe, binging a new show, or cuddling with her pitbull, Hudson.
