Many in the US consider the Super Bowl the event of the year. For online store owners and marketers, it provides a unique opportunity to reach a large and engaged audience.
You don’t need to be one of the big brands to profit from Super Bowl-related advertising and merch. Small and mid-sized businesses can also benefit from the buzz created by this year’s Super Bowl.
From social media campaigns to in-store promotions and trend research, we’ll provide a practical Super Bowl marketing strategy to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the Big Game.
How are stores capitalizing on Super Bowl promotions?
POD merchants can take advantage of the Super Bowl by creating and selling products related to the event. Consider some of the following ideas for marketing campaigns and seasonal products:
- Create designs featuring the colors of competing teams.
- Don’t use Coca-Cola, Bud Light, NFL, and other logos – they’re trademarked (more on that soon).
- Around one-third of viewers are more interested in watching the commercial slots and half-time shows than the game – Rihanna’s half-time show performance on Super Bowl LVII gathered a whopping 188.7 million viewers, surpassing the previous year’s game views by a landslide. Creating Super Bowl marketing campaigns and products with non-copyrighted catchphrases, slogans, and trending themes makes sense. Observe memes, jokes, and the best ad examples.
- Consumers reportedly spent a total of $16.5 billion on Super Bowl-related purchases in 2023. So, make designs with popular Super Bowl foods or snacks, like chicken wings or nachos.
Once you’ve created the designs, use Printify to customize products and sell the merch on channels like a standalone website, Printify Pop-Up Store, social media, or marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, Amazon, or Walmart. You can even sell on multiple platforms to reach a wider audience.
Learn about Etsy marketing, how to promote listings with eBay ads, and more marketing tips on our blog.
Starting your Super Bowl advertising as soon as possible is vital to allow enough time to generate sales before this year’s game.
Also, it’s crucial to consider targeting different audiences and niches, including fans of different themes, customers from different demographics, and people interested in different Super Bowl-related themes. Because it’s not just about watching football, there’s a huge opportunity to capitalize on R&B music lovers as Usher, one of the most influential artists of our time, will be headlining the Super Bowl LVIII half-time show.
Consider offering limited-time promotions or discounts to encourage consumer spending and attract new customers.
Super Bowl marketing ideas and tips
This section will explore some of the most effective marketing ideas and tips for promoting your business during Super Bowl game day and weeks before.
Whether you’re starting with eCommerce, looking to generate traffic, or an experienced merchant looking to build brand awareness, these tips and ideas will help you make the most of the Super Bowl.
Research what’s trending
Staying in the loop with current events, pop culture, and trends for product creation and marketing campaigns should be at the top of your Super Bowl 2024 marketing ideas list.
Be aware of who will be the halftime show headliner and which advertisers are featuring in the Super Bowl ads.
Also, remember the best moments in the past year and beyond, especially when posting on social media. What else should you pay attention to?
- Super Bowl commercial insights – For example, the unforgettable ad from Super Bowl LVII with Meghan Trainor’s hand stuck in a Pringles can. Studying these commercials gives you a sneak peek into what brands focus on and what appeals to viewers.
- The pulse of Super Bowl viewers – Understanding what resonates with the Super Bowl audience is key. Take a look back at the infamous first commercial aired during the 1960 game. What worked? What didn’t?
- Trending moments from previous games – The Super Bowl represents more than just football; it’s a cultural event. Reflect on memorable moments, especially those from the second quarter or halftime shows of games like Super Bowl LV with The Weeknd’s amazing performance or LVI’s legendary hip-hop legend parade. These moments are gold for creating content that connects with fans.
Finally, consider where people will watch the Big Game and the Super Bowl ads. Even though most viewers will follow the games on TV screens, the experience can be diverse as the streaming platforms gain terrain on TV viewership.
Be careful with copyright limitations
The National Football League (NFL) controls the use of the term “Super Bowl” and related intellectual property, as it’s a registered trademark.
Using the term “Super Bowl” or any of the NFL’s copyrighted materials in advertising or marketing without permission is strictly prohibited and can result in legal action.
The NFL holds trademarks on around a hundred terms and phrases, including “Super Sunday,” “Gameday,” “Back to Football,” and “1st and Goal.”
Placing disclaimers like “This is not an official sponsor” after trademarked terms in an ad will not suffice to avoid receiving cease-and-desist letters. The NFL also objects to mere references to the event like “Get ready for the Super Bowl®.”
If you want to use the term “Super Bowl” in a marketing strategy, you’ll need to obtain a license from the NFL. This license allows you to use the term “Super Bowl” and other NFL intellectual property for a specific time period and marketing purposes. However, please note that the NFL license is not available to hobbyists and small businesses, and the requirements are pretty demanding:
- Verification of at least three years of business experience.
- Confirmation of your status as the product’s manufacturer.
- A royalty guarantee provided in advance, amounting to $100,000.
- Comprehensive commercial insurance coverage of $6 million, with additional liability coverage of $12 million.
- Submission of a detailed application accompanied by annual financial reports, credit references, and product catalogs.
If you don’t have the license to use the term “Super Bowl,” you can still use related terms like “big game,” “football championship,” or “the final game of the season” to reference it in your marketing strategy. Additionally, you can proceed by taking advantage of the themes and elements of the Super Bowl, such as the halftime show, the commercials, and the parties, rather than using the trademarked term itself.
Finally, the same stands for using the names of specific players – using an individual name in advertising campaigns will require a specific commercial license from the individual.
Engage with people on social media
Use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, and other channels to promote deals and products related to the Big Game. This can include creating social media ads and interacting with customers through comments and direct messages.
Engaging with people on social media when promoting Super Bowl-related products is a powerful tool for a few reasons:
- It helps build a sense of community and engagement around your brand, increasing brand loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.
- It allows for direct communication and feedback with potential and return customers – Super Bowl viewers. The data from such an interaction helps improve the product and marketing strategy.
- Understanding the target audience better and tailoring the messaging and brand promotion is essential.
- It transforms your brand from a passive advertiser into a part of the conversation.
Create Super Bowl interactive posts like polls, games, or quizzes that let users actively engage with the content. Such posts can build buzz and excitement, promote products and services related to the Super Bowl, and get more consumers for your brand.
Throw a social media contest as part of your Super Bowl social media campaigns – it can significantly boost engagement. Encourage your followers to participate in Super Bowl-themed contests and giveaways to enhance their connection with your brand.
Most consumers love freebies from their favorite brands, and giveaways are a cost-effective way to let your desired audience know about your creations.
Use omnichannel marketing
Cross-promote your products on different channels to reach as many potential customers as possible. Many viewers use multiple screens to watch the game.
An online store can profit with an omnichannel marketing strategy by using many channels to reach and engage consumers, increase visibility, and drive sales before and during the event:
- Email marketing – Send promotional emails in the weeks leading to the Super Bowl, highlighting deals and discounts on products related to the event.
- Influencer marketing – Partner with sports or entertainment influencers to promote products.
- Retargeting ads – Show ads of your products to customers who have already visited your website but left without purchasing.
- SMS marketing – Use apps like EZ Texting, TextMagic, Salesmsg, SimpleTexting, or Twilio to send text messages to customers with deals, discounts, and promotions related to the Super Bowl.
Optimize content for mobile devices
77% of North Americans used a smartphone in 2023, an amount that will increase to 90% by 2027.
In the third quarter of 2023, smartphones dominated the retail landscape in the United States, being responsible for 74% of visits to retail sites and generating 63% of online shopping orders.
Use your website builder and social network resources to format ads and content for mobile devices. Choose responsive templates that adjust the website layout to fit the device’s screen.
Pay attention to the technicalities – reduce image sizes for quick loading without losing quality, and use a single-column layout for pages. Use concise but informative descriptions and titles, and add keywords wisely.
Finally, use any technological advancement that could give you an edge while making the customers’ navigation easier. Create a QR code or use an app generator on Wix or WooCommerce.
Post at the right time
Post on social media immediately before or during each NFL game, especially when the most promising teams are expected to play. These moments have maximum engagement and viewership, as people will discuss the games and Super Bowl commercials.
Track the metrics during every game and see when your audience is most active, then adjust accordingly.
The same stands regarding the best time to post on Super Bowl Sunday – post during and before the game, noting the best commercials and the halftime show.
Include everyone
In 2023, 17% of Americans said their favorite part of the Big Game was the TV commercials by the most well-known brands.
That means marketers and brands should aim for a broader target audience than football fans. Consumer spending surrounding the Super Bowl can take many forms, and the Big Game represents different things for different people. Develop your own marketing strategy, adapting the message for your niche, whether it’s more related to a celeb superstar or actual sports.
Use a bit of humor in your advertising
Of course, that will depend on your branding strategy and target audience, but try to make the viewers laugh with your Super Bowl ad.
Many brands display a lighthearted side during their Super Bowl commercials to entertain viewers and consumers. Audiences expect marketers to create funny campaigns during the Big Game – capitalize on that.
Score with your customers during this Super Bowl
You don’t need to be one of the big companies to profit from Super Bowl-related advertising and merch. Small businesses can also benefit from the buzz created by this year’s Big Game.
Focus on the Super Bowl ads worth attention, increase your engagement on X (Twitter), YouTube, Facebook, and other channels, and score with the most-watched TV event in North America. Most advertisers rely on Super Bowl digital marketing as they can’t get their commercials aired in the most sought-after TV slot. So follow their lead to get your amazing products in front of your audience.
Count on Printify to assist you on your eCommerce journey. Sign up, create products inspired by your favorite Super Bowl ad, and start selling now.
