Touchdowns and Target Markets: Teaching with Super Bowl Ads
Every February, marketing instructors get a golden opportunity: the Super Bowl. While the big game delivers drama on the field, the commercials deliver a masterclass in marketing. With 30-second spots costing millions, each ad is a carefully crafted message aimed at capturing attention, building brand equity, and—ideally—moving the needle on consumer behavior.
But how can instructors move beyond simply showing ads for fun? By framing the viewing experience through a marketing lens, Super Bowl ads become a powerful teaching tool. Students are typically engaged, and depending on the ads you show, laughing. I feel like my students are more open to learning when they are laughing.
Of course, these ads tie well into a discussion of advertising (Chapter 15). That said, if you are teaching the introductory marketing class, advertising may not be on your syllabus for another month or more. This post suggests ways to show selected ads and generate in-class discussion. I like to ask these questions using a think-pair-share technique, so everyone gets a chance to speak. After a few minutes of that, I bring it to a full class discussion. Besides advertising, you can explore segmentation and targeting (Chapter 4), examine the psychology of consumer behavior (Chapter 5), or connect campaign impact to marketing research (Chapter 7).
In this post, we offer ways to turn Super Bowl commercials into high-impact classroom conversations. We’ll also provide guiding questions, suggested activities, and current resources like the USA Today Ad Meter and commentary from experts at CBS News or WPP (large advertising and marketing agency) to help students think critically about what makes a “great” ad—and whether popularity always equals effectiveness.
A first draft of this blog post was generated by ChatGPT.
Segmentation & Targeting (Chapter 4)
1. Who is this ad targeting, and what segmentation variables are they using (demographic, geographic, psychographic, behavioral)?
Answer idea: One example is the Novartis “Relax Your Tight Ends,” which addresses prostate cancer screening—something important to men over age 50 or so. Many men will recognize the athletes in this ad as some of the most famous tight ends (a position in football).
2. How might a company’s choice of Super Bowl ad placement reflect their target market strategy?
Answer idea: The Super Bowl reaches a mass audience, but companies often use the moment to showcase new positioning or tap into aspirational identity (e.g., Google or Apple). A startup might use it for brand awareness, while a legacy brand might reaffirm loyalty.
3. Are some Super Bowl ads not meant for the general audience watching the game? Why or why not?
Answer idea: Yes—ads like B2B tech services (Squarespace) or luxury brands may have niche audiences but use the platform to gain prestige or signal exclusivity.
4. How does the timing or tone of the ad (humor, sentimentality, controversy) align with the target segment?
Answer idea: Humorous ads often appeal to younger, more social media–active audiences who are more likely to share content.
Consumer Behavior (Chapter 5)
1. What consumer motivation(s) is this ad appealing to—emotional, rational, or a combination?
Answer idea: Many Super Bowl ads use emotional appeals (e.g., Clydesdales in Budweiser ads or this Lay’s ad) to foster brand connection and long-term loyalty.
2. How does the ad try to influence attitudes or beliefs about the brand or product?
Answer idea: Some ads associate the product with lifestyle aspirations or social causes to shift perceptions (e.g., Dove’s real beauty campaign).
3. Can you identify any cultural values or norms reflected in this ad?
Answer idea: An ad featuring strong family themes around holidays taps into collectivist values and shared experiences.
4. What stage of the consumer decision process is the ad most likely targeting?
Answer idea: Many Super Bowl ads focus on awareness and interest—stimulating desire and consideration rather than immediate purchase. There are a few ads for GLP-1 drugs.
Marketing Research (Chapter 7)
I often discuss how the USA Today Ad Meter works and ask if that means the winner here is the “best ad.” This can lead to a discussion of what the brand’s objectives should be (Chapter 15) and the best way to measure that (Chapter 7). I find the post-game ratings at Ad Meter to be a great source of discussion. One way to start this is to ask students to name their favorite ad from the Big Game.
1. What kinds of pre-testing might have been used to decide which ad aired?
Answer idea: Focus groups, copy testing, and survey panels may have been used to test message clarity and emotional response.
2. How could a company use real-time data (e.g., social listening, Ad Meter rankings) to assess post-ad performance?
Answer idea: Sentiment analysis and social media trends can be tracked to evaluate engagement and brand perception.
3. What’s the value—and limitation—of using Ad Meter scores as a metric of success?
Answer idea: While it reflects viewer preference, it doesn’t necessarily link to sales impact or long-term brand equity.
4. What research methods could help determine if the ad actually influenced consumer behavior?
Answer idea: A/B testing, brand lift studies, and post-exposure surveys could assess recall, purchase intent, or actual behavior changes.
Advertising (Chapter 15)
I often discuss how the USA Today Ad Meter works and ask if that means the winner here is the “best ad.” This can lead to a discussion of what the brand’s objectives should be (Chapter 15) and the best way to measure that (Chapter 7).
1. What is the likely advertising objective—informing, persuading, or reminding?
Answer idea: A new product launch likely aims to inform and persuade, while a brand legacy ad reminds consumers of values and consistency. You might consider showing the Anthropic (Claude AI company) ad that has Sam Altman (ChatGPT) all upset—good example of comparative advertising. Anthropic is clearly making a dig at ChatGPT’s plans to run ads in ChatGPT.
2. How would you measure the success of this ad beyond viewer ratings?
Answer idea: Metrics might include web traffic spikes, increase in search volume, hashtag engagement, or sales uplift in days following the game. Many of the advertisers provide online links that could help the company measure the ad’s success. A Lay’s ad, which I couldn’t find before the Super Bowl, will apparently offer a free bag.
3. How might shareholder or leadership expectations influence Super Bowl ad strategy?
Answer idea: Pressure for ROI may push brands to focus less on entertainment value and more on message clarity or conversion-oriented CTAs.
4. What’s the tradeoff between creative risk and brand consistency during high-stakes advertising?
Answer idea: Bold, unusual ads may get attention, but could misalign with brand tone and alienate loyal customers. There are always fun, edgy ads that potentially conflict with a brand’s typical personality.