Super Bowl advertising: WMU expert shares what to look for during the Big Game

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—In between the elaborate appetizers, the raffles and, yes, the football, the most anticipated moments of football's biggest night tend to happen off the field. Super Bowl commercials are often the focal point of the big event. And costing upwards of $7 million for just 30 seconds, competition for viewer attention is fierce.

"In fact, most Super Bowl advertisers have already begun hyping their commercials with other ads—essentially running commercials for their commercials," says Greg Gerfen, executive-in-residence in advertising and promotion and instructor of marketing at Western Michigan University.

Gerfen has been in the game for decades, joining the University after more than 33 years in advertising and account management at world-class brands such as The UPS Store, Hormel, Tyson, Merck and Campbell Soup Company, among others. He's scouted out the competition to give you a preview of the top five trends to watch for when it comes to Super Bowl ads:

1. Brands will build intrigue ahead of the game. Brands are running teaser campaigns, giving clues to what or who might be in their Super Bowl ads. Perhaps the brand getting the most attention is M&M's, which has said the use of its cartoon candy spokespeople will be paused due to internet controversy over how the characters have been modernized. Will they or won't they make an appearance? Another brand setting the stage for a Super Bowl stunt is FanDuel. The company hired retired Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski to attempt a field goal live during the game. Fans who place bets through the app have a chance at winning a share of $10 million in free bets.
2. Brand collaborations will be common. With the high cost of advertising during the game, brands are joining forces and advertising together. Pairing two unexpected brands can create an extra level of excitement and further grab viewers' attention. Some collabs to watch out for: Molson Coors and DraftKings, General Motors and Netflix, Michelob Ultra and Netflix, golf apparel shopping sites and Heineken Zero with "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."
3. Commercials will be a "who's who" of celebrities. Celebrities will dominate the commercials this year. From Hollywood A-listers to music stars and former athletes, dozens of celebrities will make cameos in this year's ads.
4. More alcohol brands will advertise during the game than ever before. Super Bowl LVII represents the first time in 30 years that Anheuser-Busch hasn't had exclusive rights to advertise alcohol. It will be happy hour for brands like Coors Lite, Miller Lite, Remy Martin Cognac and Heineken to join Anheuser-Busch brands in the game.
5. Expect QR codes to pop up on your screen. Since many consumers use multiple screens at once, brands will attempt to keep everyone engaged with their messages by offering QR codes. By scanning the code, consumers will be rewarded with chances to win prizes, see more content and perhaps score money-saving opportunities.
   

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