The Social Bowl

It’s that time of year again as we watch the top companies duking it out for the top spot in the battle for the best Super Bowl commercial. We won’t have to wait long to see which ads are the most talked about as many viewers of Sunday’s Big Game will be online sharing, tweeting, and liking their favorite ads in the Brand Bowl.

Postano’s Brand Bowl will be live tracking the use of Super Bowl related hashtags across all platforms. You can visit their site to see which company’s hashtag is going for a touchdown. Each big contender has at least one hashtag to follow for this year’s game. Some examples are Budweiser with #BestBuds and Coca Cola with #AmericaIsBeautiful.




Since the 70’s, the Super Bowl and memorable commercials have gone hand-in-hand. But with the introduction of popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter a few years ago, a third player has come to the party. Social media not only allows the companies free advertising to complement expensive commercials, it lets the consumers take part in the conversation in real time. Recognizing the vast influence that quick posts or tweets can have, many companies will be live tweeting throughout the game. Let’s not forget the simple beauty in Oreo’s quick tweet last year. The tweet about dunking in the dark was retweeted over 10,000 times in the first hour alone. While they might have paid $4 million for a 30-second commercial slot, this free tweet is how we remember Oreo from last year. A quick and relative comment is all it took to boost Oreo’s name to the front of the pack.



This year, at least 115 million viewers are expected to tune-in to the Super Bowl. Of these viewers, Mashable says that 61% will share ads on social media. But viewers aren’t waiting until kick off—the sharing has already started as some companies have leaked parts of their commercials early, trying to build more anticipation. It’s crucial for these companies to make a good impression as Crowdtap says that 73% of viewers are more likely to follow or like brands rather than the football teams after the game. Which begs the question, why do so many people really watch the Super Bowl?

As the game gets closer and people try to figure out if the game is in New York or New Jersey, it’s time for those of us at home to get online and join the conversation. Let me know your thoughts about the commercials and your favorites on Twitter @SimplyEricaR.