On Super Bowl Ads and Nostalgia Marketing
Everything Old is New Again
The Eagles and Chiefs did not disappoint in this year’s game. The back-and-forth, offensive slugfest kept fans glued to their screens. Like last year, the game came down to the final possession and Kansas City secured the victory after a controversial penalty and a last-second field goal.
As in previous years, the commercials garnered nearly as much attention as the game itself. However, this year, you may have noticed there was a recurring theme running through much of the brand advertising. In addition to an abundance of celebrity cameos, advertisers were tapping into consumer emotions and feelings from the past in an attempt to create positive associations with their brands. Many of the brand stories were connected to iconic characters, music, movies, images, or slogans from the past.
This technique is commonly referred to as nostalgia marketing because the objective is to tap into people's longing for the way things used to be and leverage their feelings of sentimentality to evoke positive feelings toward a particular product or service. The goal is to evoke feelings of comfort and familiarity and to appeal to consumers who may feel overwhelmed or disillusioned with the present and are longing for better times. It can also be used to connect with an older demographic who may feel a strong connection to their past experiences.
Here are just a few of the examples from this year’s prime-time Super Bowl advertising lineup:
MICHELOB ULTRA - “New Members Day” - Michelob Ultra club released a series of teasers leading up to the Super Bowl featuring a star-studded lineup reprising various roles from the 1980 classic comedy: Caddyshack. See if you can spot Tony Romo, Alex Morgan, Canelo Alvarez, and Serena Williams taking shots while quaffing a few beers at the fictional Bushwood Country Club:
T-MOBILE - “New Year , New Neighbor” - If you shed a tear over the passing of Olivia Newton-John earlier this year, then here come the waterworks again! John Travolta, who we all know and love as Danny from Grease, reprises his role in this ad to sing "Summer Nights" after having written the sweetest tribute to her on Instagram.
DOGFISH HEAD - “The Not-So Big Game” - DogFish Craft Brewery debuts its first-ever big game spot with "one of the smallest budget beer commercials of all time." If you’re old enough to remember, the “buzz” of this game is the first thing that pops into your mind. This game was electric. It made board games look boring. It was cool enough that your sister wanted to play or at least watch. Anything that made plastic football players move on their own raised the bar and made your mother just a little bit nervous. Electric Football was borderline dangerous. As one of the smallest commercial breweries in America, the whole thing is definitely on brand.
GENERAL MOTORS x NETFLIX - “Why not an EV” - General Motors is going electric, says comedian Will Ferrell, and Netflix is joining in by featuring more electric vehicles in their programming. The commercial takes you back to recreate famous car scenes from various Netflix shows and inserts Ferrell in for a few laughs.
Advertisers are leaning in and exploiting nostalgia marketing more than ever - and here’s why:
Changing consumer values: As people become increasingly disillusioned with the present, they may seek comfort in the familiar and comforting aspects of the past. This has led to an increase in nostalgia marketing as advertisers try to tap into these emotions.
Technological advancements: Advances in technology and communication have made it easier for advertisers to reach consumers and create nostalgic experiences. For example, companies can use social media to share vintage images, videos, and memories, or use augmented reality to create immersive nostalgia-based experiences.
Economic uncertainty: In times of economic uncertainty, consumers may seek comfort in the familiar, which has led to an increase in nostalgia marketing.
Generational changes: As different generations reach different life stages and begin to reflect on their own personal histories, they may become more open to nostalgia-based experiences and marketing.
Pandemic hangover: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted people's lives and has led many to look back on their memories and experiences from the past for comfort. Advertisers are attempting to tap into these feelings and change preferences and buying behaviors.
One product that was missing from the Super Bowl lineup this year was SPAM. This was a little bit surprising since this year marks the 75th anniversary of the rectangular meat. In celebration of that milestone, Hormel Foods, the parent company of SPAM, launched an entirely new advertising campaign that involves TV ads, online banner ads, and a new website outfitted with games and new recipes. We were really looking forward to a little “Sizzle, Pork And Mmmmmmmm” at the Super Bowl. Perhaps the brand team at SPAM just didn’t have the stomach for the massive investment? After all, for this year’s big game, FOX was reportedly collecting $7 million for 30-second spots.
With such a long and storied history, we know that SPAM can certainly benefit from a little nostalgia marketing and fire up the hearts and minds of its hungry audience. Recognizing the tight budget, we thought it might be best to ask ChatGPT to help us write the script for the commercial and then try to buy some spot cable in a few markets on the cheap ;-)
Here is what ChatGPT produced in response to the following PROMPT: “Write a 30-second Super Bowl TV commercial for SPAM referencing the movie Forrest Gump using nostalgia and humor”:
[Scene opens on a crowded football field, with players huddled up in their respective teams. Camera then zooms out to show a lone figure racing towards the field, wearing a helmet with a SPAM logo, and clutching a large can of SPAM under his arm. The figure is none other than Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks in the famous movie of the same name.]Forrest: (In his iconic southern drawl) “Momma always said, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." But with SPAM, you always know what you're gonna get: deliciousness!”
[Scene shifts to show Forrest standing in front of a giant SPAM can, holding a can opener.]Forrest: (Smiling) “And there's no need to run home from school, run through a field in Vietnam, or run across America. Just run to the kitchen, grab a can of SPAM, and enjoy!”
[Scene shifts to a cooking show, with Forrest and Bubba as the hosts, cooking up a storm using SPAM as the main ingredient.]Bubba: (As he’s cooking) “Anyway, like I was sayin', SPAM is all the best parts of the pig. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, SPAM-kabobs, SPAM creole, SPAM gumbo. Pan fried SPAM, deep fried, stir-fried….. “
[Camera zooms in on Forrest’s face.]Forrest: I may not be the smartest man in the world, but I do know one thing: SPAM makes everything taste better!
[Scene shifts back to the football field, where the players are now seen chowing down on SPAM-based snacks. Forrest walks towards the camera, holding a can of SPAM, with a big smile on his face.]Forrest: (Looking into the camera) “So, next time you're watching the Super Bowl, or any game for that matter, remember: there's no better snack than SPAM. Open up a can for yourself. Trust me, it's like opening a box of chocolates... but better!”
[Scene closes with the SPAM logo, and the tagline "Always Delicious, Always SPAM."]Which Super Bowl ads tugged at your heartstrings this year? Please let us know and follow us on LinkedIn to continue to receive new insights every week. And if you want to learn how to harness the power of your brand story to create a clear and compelling message that engages your customers and grows your business, be sure to download a copy of Transformational Marketing and book a briefing on this subject with me directly.
