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With Super Bowl LVIII less than a month away, some of the most popular New Jersey-based brands are preparing for advertising’s biggest night.
Scheduled for Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, CBS “virtually sold out” of its inventory for in-game spots by early November, with a 30-second ad reportedly going for between $6.5 million and $7 million, according to Variety.
Though many companies remain cautious about spending due to ongoing inflationary pressures, marketers recognize that consumer interest around the big game remains strong. Last year’s game – which was broadcast by Fox – attracted a record-breaking audience of more than 115 million viewers, up 2% in 2022.
Mondelez International
Mondelez-owned cookie brand Oreo will return to the Super Bowl for the first time in over a decade, airing a 30-second spot during the second quarter.
“The OREO brand is an American icon that has been a playful part of pop culture for years, and we are thrilled to share our new creative with our fans on the biggest marketing stage there is,” said Michelle Deignan, vice president, OREO U.S., in a statement. “With this iconic ad, we’ll be kicking off a momentous 2024 for milk’s favorite cookie, so be sure to stay tuned for more exciting things coming throughout the next year.”
The brand made its Super Bowl debut in 2013, when it aired a 30-second spot, “Whisper Fight.” It made advertising history when the brand reacted in real time, tweeting the phrase, “You can still dunk in the dark,” after the lights went off in the stadium during that same game.
The global snacking leader has a $50 million innovation center in Whippany, just a few miles away from its North American headquarters in East Hanover.
Unilever
Englewood Cliffs-based Unilever USA’s Dove beauty brand will be back at the Super Bowl for the first time since 2006, with a 30-second spot during the first quarter.
According to Dove, the ad will focus on the importance of boosting self-esteem in young girls as well as promoting body confidence to encourage them to continue playing sports they love.
Leandro Barreto, senior vice president, Global Dove Masterbrand, said in a statement, “Dove is on a mission to make sports a place where all girls can thrive and feel like they belong.”
“The prevalence of negative body talk in sports and focus on appearance over ability harms girls’ body confidence. As the biggest champion of self-esteem for girls globally since 2004, we are thrilled to return to the Big Game and use this massive stage to drive meaningful awareness for this important issue and help girls stay in sports,” Barreto said.
Dove’s male-focused product collection, Dove Men + Care, made a game day appearance in 2015 with a product-focused TV commercial centered on dads, Unilever noted.
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise will make its fourth consecutive game-day appearance, bringing a 30-second commercial that highlights the Unilever brand’s multiyear initiative, “Make Taste, Not Waste,” which aims to raise awareness about food waste and help people become more resourceful with their leftovers.
“Hellmann’s has always dedicated its Big Game commercial to the fight against food waste,” says Chris Symmes, marketing director of dressings North America, Unilever. “Given what we know about food waste the day after the game, there couldn’t be a more relevant moment to drive awareness and make an impact about the issue. For the last three years, we’re proud to say that our message got people talking about leftovers – we even saw an increase in the conversation about food waste by double digits– and we have plans to make this year the most impactful yet.”
In recent months, Hellmann’s has ramped up its football presence.
After generating much buzz by bringing on Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis as a brand ambassador, Hellmann’s became the “Official Mayonnaise” at six of the top football universities in the South: University of Alabama, University of Arkansas, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Texas and Texas A&M University.
Mars Inc.
Mars M&M’s will have a 30-second spot during the first commercial break in the first quarter, marking the candy brand’s ninth Super Bowl appearance since 1998.
This year, Mars seeks to build on iconic, fan-favorite advertisem*nts over the years, including 2023’s M&M’s “Spokescandies on Pause” campaign, which won a Gold Lion Award for Creative Strategy at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
Other recent winning spots within the Mars portfolio include M&M’S “Come Together,” which ranked No. 4 on USA Today’s 2021 Ad Meter, and Snickers’ 2010 “You’re not You” spot, which was named by USA Today as the No. 1 Super Bowl commercial over the last 25 years.
“M&M’S is more culturally relevant than ever and for more than 80 years this Mars brand has delivered entertainment and excitement for fans,” said Gabrielle Wesley, chief marketing officer, Mars Wrigley North America, in a statement. “M&M’S has shown up big at the Super Bowl over the past two decades and we’re excited to continue celebrating our relationship with the NFL by using the moment to kick off a new focus on product for M&M’S in 2024.”
Mars’ Snickers brand will also have a presence at this year’s game, sponsoring the NFL Network Total Access Desk activation at the Super Bowl Experience at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Fans will have the chance to interact with the Total Access Desk, comment on plays as if they are an NFL Network host and sample the iconic candy bar.
Snickers Ice Cream will have a custom truck at Gameday Experience Feb. 11, offering complementary ice cream bars to fans attending the big game.
BetMGM
Jersey City-based sports betting app BetMGM will run its first Super Bowl commercial this year, Ad Age reported.
“With Super Bowl 2024 happening in Vegas, we knew this was our year to show up and we know Highdive has what it takes to make our brand stand out on advertising’s biggest stage,” said Ray Doyle, vice president of brand marketing at BetMGM, told the outlet.
