NBC is trying to show potential Super Bowl ad buyers there are "other metrics to prioritize" success with their purchase than USA Today's Ad Meter, according to Jeanine Poggi of AD AGE. The net, which will air Super Bowl LII in February, analyzed ads in the last four Super Bowls "based on 575 variables like creative messaging and structural elements." It then "looked at the effectiveness of each ad based on five performance metrics: creative appeal, ad cut through, creative engagement, brand social and brand search." NBCU Exec VP/Sales & Marketing Dan Lovinger said that the net will "use these results to help guide advertisers on their Super Bowl creative." Lovinger said that there "can be a feeling of failure" for marketers who do not make USA Today's survey, which has "long been seen as the ultimate barometer for success." Poggi reports NBC's study "found that just because an advertiser scored high on creative appeal, doesn't mean they also received top marks on other metrics like search and social." At least a "few of the results seem to be beneficial for Lovinger and his sales team: 60-second spots, for example, significantly out-performed in most key metrics." However, there "were some other revealing stats: celebrities have a slight negative or no material impact on ad performance, other than driving social conversation." Animated characters are "more effective in ads that are sales focused rather than brand focused," while spots with kids and music "outperformed those with just one or the other." First-time Super Bowl advertisers also have been "just as successful airing pre-existing creative in the game as they have been airing new ads." Poggi writes in recent years, marketers have been "more cautious about buying" Super Bowl spots. It is "not necessarily about the money" -- NBC is seeking more than $5M for a 30-second spot -- but there is a "greater need to justify the cost" (ADAGE.com, 9/18).
