Sheridan Super Bowl Advertising Review

Written by Danielle Parkinson and Jessica Sels.

As the time got closer to kick off, wings had been ordered and pizza was on the way. It was game day. Not just any game, the Superbowl. The wings and pizza were devoured as discussion ensued, not only in regards to the actual game but also the commercials during each intermission. We all know advertising companies spend millions of dollars for this air time so every year we expect great things from each commercial. On the radio this morning on our way into work, they were discussing these commercials and had mentioned they thought they were too emotional this year. Apparently our guests have an unusual sense of humour, or had enjoyed too many beverages but we thought the commercials were humorous and entertaining.

One commercial that stood out in particular was for Doritos and Mountain Dew. It grabbed our attention immediately with Peter Dinklage lip-syncing Busta Rhymes while eating Doritos. Not only is it a song loved by all, but also his serious expression and the dramatic background grabbed our attention. And come on, who doesn't love Morgan Freeman? I don't trust you if you don't like Morgan Freeman, especially when he's lip-syncing to the one and only Missy Elliott.

Another was M&M's advertisement that starred Danny DeVito. We've been watching movies with Danny for years and were anticipating this one to air. His goofy persona and entertaining charisma had us laughing the entire time. There was a combination of cartoons and people in this commercial, which also kept the children intrigued. Overall, we quite enjoyed the commercials and can't wait to see what they have in store for next year.

One of the best Superbowl ads was Tide's new campaign depicting commercials that received a lot of praise in the past few years.  It showed how that it wasn’t the ad itself but they were IN every ad that was loved … Tide offers a product that cleans clothes and clean clothes are always Tide ads. Just like David Harbour says in all the ads, "It’s Another Tide Ad".

Sheridan’s Advertising Account Management post graduate program offers a lot of great incite on advertising.  It has opened our eyes to the advertising world and what it costs to advertise even for a 30 second spot during the Superbowl. Advertising costs for these ads have drastically increased from $2.70 ($M) in 2008 to $5.05 ($M) in 2017. According to consumer attitudes from Superbowl ads published on MarketingCharts.com 78.1% of people agree they view the advertisements as entertainment and not as an ad itself. From 2008, 6.1% of people agree they are influenced to buy products based on Superbowl ads, which has now increased to 10.4% as of 2018. 

NRF Consumer Attitudes 2018

Overall, Ad spending during the Superbowl is the highest its been since 2008 and some say it is not the most receptive. If the advertisement is hitting the right target at the right time with the right message, is it worth the high cost for the 30 second spot? In our opinion, yes! Simply because if it is your target, you know they are going to be receptive to the message.  Sports fans watch the game, whether it’s their team or not, and do not want to miss a second. So, whether you are watching the game for the commercials, halftime show, great drinks/food, or the good-looking players in tight pants; the ads should cater to the audience so they stay tuned and do not change the channel. 

Source:

Marketing Charts. (2018, 01 31). Super Bowl 2018 Data. Retrieved 02 08, 2018, from Marketing Charts: https://www.marketingcharts.com/featured-82221

Advertising Landscape: An Industry Filled with Opportunities

Written by Suzanne Aranha and Candace Correia.

A guest speaker from Google Canada could seem quite intimidating to students who have yet to step into the “World of Advertising”, however this guest speaker was far from it.  The speaker had some informative insights on the landscape of the Advertising industry, particularly on the “Buy Side”.  

A large part of this #Googler’s job involves educating clients and advertisers about the services that Google offers in order to meet the needs of various campaigns.  That was a great segue into his presentation, which focused on explaining the current landscape of the Advertising industry that is dominated by Holding Companies. Holding companies are parent corporations that own other companies.

6 Major Canadian Holding Companies in Advertising are:

·       IPG

·       Dentsu Aegis Network

·       Publicis Media

·       Omnicom Media Group

·       WPP

·       Vision 7

The speaker emphasized the importance of understanding how the landscape is structured, and the key players that are involved in it.  It was interesting to learn how creative and media agencies work in synergy to create holistic campaigns for clients.  He also explained the role of programmatic in the industry, and how it is essentially the elimination of paper-based contracts used to run a campaign.   

With a successful career under his belt, the speaker used his first-hand experience to inform attendees of the various jobs that are currently present in the industry, such as:

·       Account Coordinator/Executive

·       Junior Media Buyer/Planner

·       Positions in Programmatic Advertising

As students who are keen on ruling the ad-world, attending this seminar was a good starting point for our career planning.  It helped clarify where we see ourselves working, and how we would like to start our careers.  The speaker made it known that there are plenty of opportunities for students to gain meaningful industry experience but they needed to be:

·       Ambitious

·       Hardworking

Enrolling in the Advertising Account Management program at Sheridan College will give you a head-start in acquiring important skills for a successful career in this industry.  Keep in mind that these Industry Guest Speaker seminars are a great way to network with experienced individuals who could totally help you jumpstart your career!