The Kellogg Super Bowl: Where The Ads Are More Riveting Than The Game

Real-Time, Real World Learning at Kellogg

Third, the review engages students in a “real time, real world experience,” in the words of Professor Rucker. Here, students are taken from the structured comfort zone of a classroom. And they’re thrown into a “context where students don’t have the luxury of sitting back and thinking” like they would with a case study. Like other television viewers, Kellogg students must quickly make an assessment on ads that they haven’t seen yet. In seconds, they must weight each element of the ADPLAN framework to produce their grades.

Best of all, the event is unscripted, so the unexpected is always possible. For example, last year’s Super Bowl blackout served as a blessing according to Professor Rucker. It gave the panel an opportunity to discuss how brands could capitalize on adversity as it happens, as Oreo did with its ‘Dunk in the Dark’ Twitter campaign during the blackout.

Finally, the review helps students to practice and reinforce what they’ve previously studied. Calkins notes that advertising strategy “is a little bit like learning how to paddle a canoe. You can talk about it and that’s nice. But the only way you really learn it is to get out there and do it.”

Super Bowl Advertising Winners and Losers 

Just as franchises like the 49ers, Patriots, and Steelers have dominated the Super Bowl over time, there are also brands that have clearly elevated their advertising prowess to legendary status. They are the brands that, in Professor Rucker’s words, “you always look forward to. Their creative is always in sync with their equity and shows their knowledge of field.”

Over the years, Rucker believes Budweiser has been the big winner. Why? Aside from ingenious concepts and flawless execution, Rucker cites Budweiser’s consistency.

“They have a Super Bowl Formula…They will entertain with their Bud Light spots. They will build equity with their Budweiser Classic spots [i.e. Clydesdales], those emotional builds. So what I like about it is this is very core brand strategy…They’re using different spots for achieve different goals.” Although Budweiser struggles to launch new products from Super Bowl ads, Rucker views them as “a big winner overall.”

Calkins also cites CareerBuilder as a success story, as they ran compelling ads with chimps that were engaging and funny. “People became aware of [CareerBuilder], started using it, and became more comfortable with it.” Calkins also adds GoDaddy to his list of clutch Super Bowl performers. Despite GoDaddy being criticized for objectifying women in their ads, Calkins argues that it’s “hard to imagine a company that’s gotten more from their investment.”

And the losing brands in Super Bowl advertising? In recent years, Rucker cites Groupon and Snickers, as these brands had to issue apologies for ads that were perceived to be dismissing human rights violations and promoting anti-gay sentiments, respectively. He adds that CareerBuilder’s “Follow Your Heart” spot, despite strong messaging, turned off viewers with sickening imagery of a beating human heart tendering her resignation.

This Year’s Buzz

While the professors shy away from watching Super Bowl ads (or predicting winners) until the event, each is looking forward to certain spots this year.

For Rucker, it is the head-to-head matchup between Chobani and Oikos. Here, you have two different brands of Greek Yogurt duking it out. “Whose is better the brand?”  “What is each doing to maximize [their spot]?”

He is also curious about how Butterfinger will execute their spot, which Introduces a peanut butter cup in a category dominated by Reese’s, Rucker wonders what Butterfinger will say. Are they just looking to convert Butterfinger users to ‘cups?’ Will they challenge Reese’s head-on? “I can see the brand do a lot of different things. [They have] so many options…It’s a big entry. How do they play it?”

In addition, Rucker will be closely watching how Soda Stream uses Scarlett Johansson in their spot. “When you pick a spokesperson or celebrity, how do you manage the celebrity versus the brand? [There is a] fundamental tension between talent and a brand. Scarlett is great, but my brand is great too. You want [the spot] to be about the brand. Will they pull it off effectively?”

Calkin is looking out for the surprises. “The thing about the Super Bowl is that you never know what’s going to happen until the game is actually played. That’s true for the football and it’s also true for the advertising. Advertisers show up and run spots on game day that you had no idea were running…[It’s] impossible to predict.”