A survey revealed that 63% of Americans call the Super Bowl an "inappropriate platform for political ads from candidates," and the "aversion seems to span political affiliations," according to Nat Ives of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. An online poll conducted this month by Morning Consult found that 63% of people who said they voted for President Trump and 62% of self-identifying Republicans "don't want to see the president advertise during the Super Bowl." Ives noted 56% of self-identifying Democrats said that they "don't want to see" presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg's planned ad during the game. However, UCLA Anderson School of Management professor Aimee Drolet said that the Super Bowl strategy "may be smart." Drolet said, "Given that Super Bowl viewers are more engaged and involved than garden-variety viewers, it is not a mistake for an advertiser to present material that requires some mental effort." The poll "posed questions about the Super Bowl, advertising and politics to 4,399 adults in a survey that was weighted by gender, race, age, region and education to approximate a target sample." The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 1% (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/29).
Bloomberg's Super Bowl ad will highlight his efforts to combat gun violencegetty images
SNEAK PEEK: The AP's Jill Colvin reports Bloomberg will "use his Super Bowl ad to highlight his efforts to combat gun violence." Bloomberg's ad, which will air following the halftime show, features the "story of Calandrian Simpson Kemp, a Texas mother whose 20-year-old son was fatally shot" in '13. George Kemp Jr. was a college football player who "dreamed of one day playing in the NFL." Meanwhile, the Trump campaign "intends to preview its own Super Bowl ad to supporters by text message later this week" (AP, 1/30).
NO CHOICE? USA TODAY's Tom Schad in a front-page piece writes Fox "likely had little choice but to allow Bloomberg and Trump to advertise during the Super Bowl, even though the ads might not be warmly received by otherwise festive football fans." Former White House Press Secretary and former NFL Exec VP/Communications Joe Lockhart said, "I don't think anyone, either the league or Fox, was going to tell the president he couldn't buy an ad. And once you've told the president he can buy an ad, and Bloomberg wants an ad, you've got to sell him an ad." A source said that Fox and the NFL "would have no viable reason to reject a campaign ad unless it violated either party's broadcast standards." Schad notes neither Bloomberg nor Trump had "publicly released the content of their Super Bowl ads as of Friday evening" (USA TODAY, 1/30).
BEEN HERE BEFORE: SI's Sarah Kwak writes this is "not the first time that political campaigns have waded into sports broadcasts." The "high profile of and attention paid to Super Bowl commercials, not to mention the timing (a day before the Iowa caucuses and two days before Trump's fourth State of the Union), presents an obvious opportunity to drive water-cooler talk." With the Tokyo Games on the horizon, this is "only a harbinger for the year ahead." Political ad agency GMMB Media Planning & Buying Partner Daniel Jester said, "If you look back in time, Republicans kind of owned sports, buying time on ESPN and against NASCAR. But now, it's one of those places you have to be. The reach and live-watching aspect makes sports a difference maker" (SI, 2/'20 issue).
