Brand Bowl, Summaries of Medicine

Download Brand Bowl and more Summaries Medicine in PDF only on Docsity!

Brand Bowl

Introducing an Annual Index

on the Big Game’s Ad Impact

The Harris Poll’s 2021 Brand Bowl reveals the impact Super Bowl LV’s commercials (or

the lack thereof) had on brand equity for both emerging and established brands.

Most Super Bowl viewers preferred ads that were “funny or clever” (59%). Ads that

featured celebrities Americans liked also fared well, with 43% of viewers enjoying

these spots, as did commercials that were uplifting (42%).

According to our survey, 70% of Americans claimed to have watched this year’s Super

Bowl and 93% of watchers paid attention to the commercials. 82% tuned in on a TV,

with 60% using cable or a satellite and 23% streaming. 28% of viewers across all

devices used an official stream, compared with 10% who admitted watching on an

unofficial one. On Tuesday, Nielsen announced Super Bowl LV “drew an average TV

audience of about 92 million viewers” - the lowest since 2006.

Our Brand Bowl Index measures the change in brand equity-- the perceived value of

a company based on its reputation with its audience -- from February 1st to February

9th for companies who confirmed their intent to advertise during the Super Bowl by

February 4th, 2021.

The goal of this new index is to better understand which brands saw the largest gains

in brand equity after the Super Bowl on February 7th, 2021. It then drills down into

the four metrics that make up brand equity: momentum, consideration, quality, and

familiarity.

The Harris Poll’s brand tracking platform also measures key metrics that help

understand a customer’s progression through the purchase funnel -- awareness,

familiarity, trial, usage, and likelihood to recommend. Finally, it collects data on a wide

variety of emotional attributes that consumers associated with each brand.

HOW THE INDEX WAS DETERMINED WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM

harris poll brand tracking platform

Brand tracking platform polls thousands of people every day to provide real-time, global intelligence on thousands of brands. learn more

BRAND BOWL INDEX: BRAND EQUITY

This index was determined by measuring the growth in brand equity for Super Bowl

BRAND BOWL INDEX: MOMENTUM & CONSIDERATION

This index was determined by measuring the growth in brand equity for Super Bowl

advertisers this year from February 1-7, 2021, to February 8-9, 2021. These rankings

show the top 20 brands that saw the most growth in two of the four categories that

comprise brand equity: momentum and consideration.

post growth post

momentum consideration

INCLUSIVE ADS GARNER MODERATE SUCCESS

2021 saw a continued push from advertisers to run ads that accurately reflect America’s

diversity. This focus was reflected in both the content and casting of Super Bowl LV ads

aired by major brands. However, the tactics of diverse casting and broad, unity phrases

that worked in the past are less effective now. As time moves on from the Civil Rights

era and identities become more nuanced beyond race and gender to include income,

sexuality, values, and more, truly inclusive Super Bowl ads will need to address those

nuances to resonate with audiences.

Most Americans (76%) agree that Super Bowl commercials should feature people from

diverse backgrounds (e.g., ethnicity/race, sexual orientation, disability), and 82% of this

year’s Super Bowl viewers agreed that most of this year’s commercials had casting that

represented the diversity of the U.S. However, only 26% of viewers said they liked the ads

because they represented the diversity of the U.S., compared to 59% of Americans who

liked ads because they were funny or clever.

Digging deeper, many in minority groups were actually more critical of casting choices

in Super Bowl ads. When asked to measure the proportion of diverse Super Bowl ads,

only 11% of White Americans said less than half or none of the ads featured a diverse

cast (e.g., people of various ethnicities/races, sexual orientations). African Americans,

Hispanics, and those who identify as LGBTQ, disagreed more often (14%, 27%, and 32%,

respectively). Young adults, often more cognizant of representation, were also highly

critical. A third (33%) of Gen Z-ers disagreed that most ads featured a diverse cast,

compared to only 11% of Millennials, 16% of Gen X-ers, and 18% of all Super Bowl viewers.

Representation does yield higher enjoyment among targeted demographics, but this

does not always translate to brand equity improvements. Amazon Prime Video and

Amazon (Alexa) ran ads starring Black celebrities such as Eddie Murphy and Michael B.

Jordan. Across ethnicities, these spots rated the highest in enjoyment among African

Americans (34% and 26%, respectively). However, Amazon Prime Video dipped in equity

ratings (-0.8) among African Americans while Amazon saw a small lift (+1.7) after the

Super Bowl aired. Despite being ethnically relatable, both brands struggled to boost

overall equity in addition to brand momentum, social consciousness, and trust.

“At least half of the ads acknowledged my own personal experience , identity or values” Whites

Asian Americans

African Americans

Hispanics

LGBTQ

It appears ads that addressed both the presence of minorities and their unique

experiences saw more success with inclusive marketing. Toyota’s 60-second

“Upstream” spot, for example, follows Jessica Long, a US Paralympian swimmer

and double amputee. This ad and others like it scored highly across several

emotional metrics tracked by the Brand Bowl Index, including “Socially

Conscious” and “Trustworthy.” Our data also shows that 24% of viewers who

recalled the ad said it made them feel included or represented. More impressive,

this ad, which directly addressed the topic of being disabled rather than merely

showing a disabled person, caused 51% of those who recalled viewing the ad to

say it made them respect the brand more - the highest for any brand in the Brand

Bowl Index. Toyota’s overall brand equity score rose by 2.1 during the period

tracked by the Brand Bowl Index.

African American Reception to Black-Led Ads -0.8% +1.7% Δ equity -2.0% -10.7% Δ trust +2.3% -6.8% Δ momentum -14.3% -26.7% Δ socially conscious 26.0% 18.0% enjoyment

However, a change in the balance of representation can also cause previously

overrepresented groups to feel more left out. White Americans and Baby Boomers

were the least likely to say that most Super Bowl ads acknowledged their own

personal experience, identity or values -- and older viewers felt particularly alienated,

likely the result of the balance of representation shifting due to cultural expectations

and revenue potential.

Brands with calls for unity that addressed the nuance of that unity also performed

better. Anheuser-Busch’s “Let’s Grab a Beer” has messaging around coming together

but only indirectly addresses a range of ethnicities, genders, and life situations with

casting. Jeep’s “The Middle” with Bruce Singsteen addressed the need for Americans

to come together, but instead of just showing various people, it used one person who

spoke about U.S. identity differences to drive the point home. As a result, Jeep’s brand

equity increased by 2.4 compared to Anheuser-Busch’s +1.7. The ads’ positive equity

boosts among White viewers (especially Jeep’s +5.5 vs. Anheuser-Busch’s +1.0) and

overall boost in social consciousness (+2.2 for Jeep, +1.8 for Anheuser) demonstrates

that diverse casting and specific, inclusive language can help brands connect with

specific groups without sacrificing broader appeal.

However, while the brands that embraced comedy over sympathy may have made a

lasting impact, some brands, like Indeed, saw a substantial brand boost by plugging

into the deeper emotions that define many consumers’ pandemic-era lives.

Indeed’s inspirational spot only scored 15% for recall and 5% for enjoyment, but the brand saw a 6% boost in equity, significantly above the average.

In the same vein, Guaranteed Rate’s baldly uplifting ad earned the brand a 4% lift

in brand equity despite scoring on the lower end of the spectrum for recall and

enjoyment, at 8% and 2%, respectively.

Brands with lower overall equity scores tended to see the biggest boost in equity

from ads that dug deeper into viewers’ emotions by playing up themes of struggle,

hard work and triumph. But overall, the data shows that a comedic approach was this

year’s “safe” option for brands looking to linger in viewers’ heads post-game.

Viewers took comfort in laughing in the trenches, and we can see this reflected in the

ads they best remembered and most enjoyed.

of people who remembered

the Amazon Alexa ad said it

made them laugh

of people who remembered

the Amazon Prime Video ad

said it made them laugh

of people who remembered

the Bud Light Seltzer ad said it

made them laugh

of people who remembered

the Cheetos ad said it made

them laugh

of people who remembered

the Doritos ad said it made

them laugh

of people who remembered

the M&M’s ad said it made

them laugh

Laughter is the best medicine?

THE BRAND BOWL AD TRACKER

These rankings show the top 15 brands that saw the highest recall and enjoyment rates

for their Super Bowl ads. They were determined from a survey of U.S. adults aged 18+

who watched 2021 Super Bowl ads before or during the game, recalled seeing the ads,

and were randomly selected to answer follow up questions about the ad content.

Laugh • Want to buy from that brand Remember better times • Want to do good in the world Laugh • Respect the brand more Laugh • Respect the brand more Laugh • Want to buy from that brand Laugh • Remember better times Laugh • Want to buy from that brand Laugh • Respect the brand more Laugh • Respect the brand more Laugh • Want to buy from that brand Laugh • Want to buy from that brand Want to buy from that brand • Respect the brand more Laugh • Feel included or represented Laugh • Want to buy from that brand Respect the brand more • Want to buy from that brand recall enjoyment this ad made me...

• Dexcom, a glucose monitoring system manufacturer, called on Nick Jonas to

create buzz in a relatively sleepy industry. Awareness for Dexcom shot up by

7% following the Super Bowl. Post-airtime, the brand received significantly

higher ratings from consumers for attributes such as ‘trustworthy’ (+19%) and

‘wholesome’ (+14%).

• Vroom, the used car e-tailer, was the most obvious benefactor of COVID-era

restrictions, and its darkly comedic take on buying a car netted the brand an

8% uptick in consumers who view it as “fun” -- outpacing all other Super Bowl

advertisers on this metric the day after. And like other entrants, Vroom saw a 5%

gain in Awareness post-game.

Unplanned and eleventh-hour entrants like Oatly and Reddit also enjoyed success

with non-traditional and polarizing debut ads. Reddit’s marketing team put a

5-second ad together in less than a week, but drew instant buzz on social media

—while Oatley’s ‘love it or hate it’ ad commanded a spot in almost all of the major

post-game ad recaps.

These underdogs may not have been the star of the show, but our initial results

suggest that lesser-known brands reaped the rewards from their first-time Super

Bowl ads.

GENERATIONAL DIVIDE? YOUNGER VIEWERS MORE ENGAGED WITH ADS, GAME

While a majority of every age group watched the Super Bowl this year, younger

viewers were the most engaged on the whole. Millennials were by far the

likeliest age group to report watching the game at 83%. Gen Z-ers were not

quite as likely to watch as Millennials, but still reported 68% viewership, one shy

of second-place Gen X-ers at 69%.

Young viewers were also significantly more likely to seek out Super Bowl

ads, with 56% of Millennials and 40% of Gen Z watching at least one ad early,

as compared to only 33% of Boomers and 24% of viewers from the Silent

Generation. There is reason to believe that these high marks among young

Americans may be even higher in future years. Gen Z-ers were by far the most

likely (24%) to report that they would not watch the game because it was

irresponsible for the NFL to host an event during the COVID-19 pandemic, a

unique circumstance that should disappear by the next big game.

Interestingly, these younger viewers did not respond well to ads that were

perceived as “young.” Amazon Prime Video, for example, saw a 7% decrease

in equity among Gen Z viewers, while receiving a 17% lift in “young.” Amazon’s

Alexa spot, on the other hand, drove a 3% lift in brand equity for Gen Z while

declining by 8% in “young.” These findings track well with our pregame survey

results, in which “youth-oriented” was one of the least-desired characteristics

for Super Bowl ads across all age groups.

Watched an early-release Super Bowl ad in 2021: 50% 18- year-olds 55% 35- year-olds 47% 45- year-olds 38% 55- year-olds 31% Ages 65+

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: BRANDS OPTING OUT OF ADVERTISING STILL SEE BOOST

Many perennial Super Bowl advertisers sat out this year’s game, some for financial

reasons and some to demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility during

the COVID-19 pandemic. Budweiser, for example, chose to divert the money that

would have gone into a big game spot towards promoting COVID-19 vaccination

efforts.

Americans surveyed before the game overwhelmingly supported Budweiser’s

decision, with 83% in favor. This support can also be seen in Budweiser’s brand

equity, which increased by 3% (from 47.5% to 50.8%) in the week following their

announcement. Between the week before the Super Bowl and the following

two days, AB InBev also enjoyed a boost in consumers who viewed the brand

as “socially conscious,” seeing a 2% increase in this description overall and a 4%

increase for the Bud Light brand in “socially conscious.” Michelob Ultra, who ran a

Super Bowl ad as usual, saw less than a 1% increase in the same metric.

Coca-Cola also opted out of advertising, but did not release a rationale or plan

like Budweiser, simply stating that they wanted to “invest in the right resources

during these difficult times.” Coke’s brand equity did not enjoy the same boost

as Budweiser, staying nearly flat with a 0.3% drop. While Budweiser’s success

demonstrates that sitting out was an effective PR tool for advertisers, the

comparison with Coke suggests that an opt-out must be well-planned and

communicated to match a Super Bowl spot’s impact.

Change in brand equity for brands who chose not to advertise during the big game:

METHODOLOGY

The brand equity index survey was conducted online within the United States

between February 1-7 among 1,651 adults (aged 18 and over) and February 8-9 among

1,648 adults (aged 18 and over) by The Harris Poll via its Brand Platform product.

Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were

weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in

the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents’

propensity to be online.

The Super Bowl consumer sentiment survey was conducted online within the United

States by The Harris Poll on January 26-27 among 1,073 adults (aged 18 and over) and

February 7-9 among 1,109 adults (aged 18 and over. This online survey is not based

on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can

be calculated. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household

income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual

proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for

respondents’ propensity to be online.

Special thanks to Will Johnson, Abhish Raghavan, Amir Kanpurwala, Matthew Feider,

Zeke Huges, Justin Pincus, Aaron Kane, Annie Prunsky, Dami Rosanwo, Lucas Strombeck,

Aidan Krakowsky, David Zallis and the entire Harris Poll Brand team for their contribution

and effort in this project.

The Harris Poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., tracking public

opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963. It is now part of Harris Insights

& Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the

authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow.

We work with clients in three primary areas; building twenty-first-century corporate

reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic

media through public relations research. Our mission is to provide insights and

advisory to help leaders make the best decisions possible.

compass.theharrispoll.com

ABOUT US

STATISTICALLY INSIGNIFICANT TWITTER POLLS