The Super Bowl Ad Plan for Every Small Business
June 13th 2024
Let’s face it: if your small business isn’t shelling out millions for a Super Bowl ad, you’re just playing around. Super Bowl Sunday isn’t just a big day for football; it’s the marketing event of the year. And if you’re not in on the action, well, you might as well be just a local business - invisible on the international stage. Forget SEO, social media, and word-of-mouth – the only way to truly legitimize your business is by snagging that coveted Super Bowl spot.
Why You Absolutely Must Buy a Super Bowl Ad
Instant Credibility: Nothing says “we’re the best” like a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl. Your brand will instantly join the ranks of mega-corporations, becoming a household name overnight. After all, having a Super Bowl ad is the only true measure of success, not loyal customers, or local awareness.
Unmatched Visibility: With over 100 million viewers tuning in, your message will reach more eyeballs than you ever dreamed possible. If your ad isn’t seen by millions, it must have failed. You want everyone from your grandma to your high school nemesis to see your ad and know your name.
Social Media Buzz: Super Bowl ads are the talk of the town, both during and after the game. Your ad will be dissected, discussed, and shared across every social media platform. How many viral reposts you get is absolutely critical, far beyond local community engagement.
Timing is important: You don’t just want to be seen naturally when people search for your service, you want the best advertisement spot, regardless of keyword suitability. Aim for that prime post-halftime slot when viewers are still buzzing from the performance and not yet in a food coma. Selling a kidney might be a bit extreme, but hey, who needs two? Scrape together every penny, dime, and dollar you have. Convince your investors to take out loans and spend every cent you have on your marketing regardless of the size of your business or the scale of your operation.
The Real Small Business Playbook For A Marketing Touchdown
Okay, time to burst that bubble. The reality is that a Super Bowl ad isn’t a feasible or necessary strategy for most small businesses. While marketing is absolutely necessary, it’s essential to remember that every business is unique, and so are its marketing needs. Marketing strategies need to take a lot of things into consideration, for example, what stage is the company currently at? Where do they want to be seen? How big are they and how much new business can they handle? Typically, the marketing plans that work for large businesses are not suited to smaller companies and may do more harm than good.
Picture this: you’re a local bakery, starting to get known for your irresistible cupcakes. You’ve just spent your life savings on a Super Bowl ad. The big moment comes, and there it is – your cupcake commercial, sandwiched between a car ad and a beer commercial. Your phone starts ringing off the hook. But wait… do you have enough staff and fresh cupcakes to support this massive influx of traffic? What will happen if you disappoint all of these new customers? Do you have the business experience to accept feedback, respond, keep your reputation stable, and make any of those customers into regular visitors? Will they remember your name an hour after their cupcake and be able to find you again online?
For most mom-and-pop shops or other local businesses, focusing on hyper-local marketing efforts, personalized customer service, and a solid online presence are far more effective and sustainable. For example, if your business is located in Vancouver, there's usually no need to focus marketing efforts in Edmonton. Investing in organic SEO, social media marketing, and community engagement often yields better results at a fraction of the cost. Remember, your website may be beautiful, but if no one can find it, does it really matter if you spent thousands hyperfocusing your branding and font size? It's better to build your foundation first so that once you have eyes on your page, a marketing expert (assuming they have experience with your size and scale) can be more effectively used.
Big Stage VS Small Steps
Should you really buy super bowl ads? The short answer: probably not. While Super Bowl ads are a flashy way to grab attention, they’re not the end-all, be-all of marketing. The same goes for any large-scale marketing strategies designed for large corporations. Focus on strategies that align with smart business goals, your target audience, and your budget. It’s not about following in the footsteps of big corporations but about carving out your own path to success one step at a time.
At SilverServers, we’re here to help you find the search engine marketing strategy that fits your business perfectly – no kidney sales required. Contact us today to learn more about our tailored digital marketing services.
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