The Game Behind the Game

Happy Friday,

How was your week? Mine was snowy!

This week, Frank Galvani is taking over, after a big week speaking on behalf of Google about the Super Bowl ads scoring big on Youtube

It's me, Frank, 

Ok, enough about me! And let's talk about SUPER BOWL. And do not worry, this newsletter will be way more explosive and fun than the game. Only a few moments are as big as the Super Bowl (Olympics, World Cup, MET Gala, etc.) and even fewer where the ads themselves are part of the hype. 

And this year wasn't different; brands bet big on it (once again)! From having celebrities (often more than one), playing with format (from short to long +) & building a full story (often more than 1 spot) it was an impressive lineup, but it begged the question… Is it all worth it? 

I'll be honest: I don't have the answer, but I do have an opinion on it! 

1- The Super Bowl is more than the game

We must play with the before, during and after to seize the full opportunity. Fans will look for the most popular song from the halftime show beforehand, try to spot TayTay during the game and look at player interviews afterward. There are so many moments you can leverage to convey your full message, and who knows, it may be more cost-effective than 30 seconds during the game. 

2- Digital First

More than 17 million Canadians watch YouTube on their CTV. Every year, the traditional media footprint is reduced. But still, we often see the creative process to start with that good old 30 seconds for television. I dare you to request a spot for 1, 2, and 3 minutes from your agency and leverage AI to make the cuts. I'm not saying it will be easy, but to innovate & stand out, we need to change our current process. 

3- Measure success

And please do measure the impact from MMM, incrementality, BLS, etc. There are so many tools that can help you measure success. Please, please, please leverage them. If you are spending what's worth 2-3 months of budget, be sure to know what success looks like and how to measure it. 

On that note, I do have 2 feet of snow to shovel! 

Have a great weekend :) 

Frank