More than 40% of Super Bowl viewers will be tuning in more for the advertisements than this Sunday's game, according to a study from St. Louis ad tech startup Advocado.
The study this month from Advocado, which provides data management technology designed for brands, media companies and advertising agencies to boost advertising performance, details viewer trends of the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is annually the highest-rated television event in the U.S. The 2021 game drew 91.6 million viewers.
The study details the impact the accompanying advertisements have on viewership of the game. Of those surveyed, 42% said they watch the Super Bowl for its advertisements and 50% noted they’ve “purchased a product or service based" because of a Super Bowl ad.
Meanwhile, the St. Louis adtech startup's survey also highlights how viewers utilize multiple screens while watching football, with 49% of those surveyed saying they use a second device like a mobile phone or laptop as they watch in addition to a TV. Those additional devices are key to how individuals interact with advertisements, the survey found, with 69% of respondents saying they’ll use their second screen to learn more about a product or brand seen on a commercial.
For advertisers, the survey results highlight that “coordinating across (media) channels is essential if you’re going to capture the maximum of the impact” of a commercial, said Advocado President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Linihan.
Other key findings from Advocado’s survey include:
- The majority of viewers — 59% — will watch the Super Bowl using a television. Other viewers will tune in using their phones, tablets and laptops.
- Many viewers will have already seen some of the commercials set to air Sunday, with 41% saying they’ve viewed ads before the game via YouTube, social media and mainstream media.
- While fans will often use a second screen to view more about a company or product featured in a commercial, most aren’t interested in the ability to directly make purchases through their TVs. Of those surveys, 38% said they wouldn’t like purchasing products using a TV remote. Meanwhile, 35% said they might be interested in such a feature, depending on the product being purchased.
St. Louis-based Advocado, headquartered in downtown St. Louis, late late year said it had raised $10 million in funding and acquired Kantar BVS, which provides technology to help brands measure the reach and impact of their advertisements. The company, launched in 2017, was co-founded by Linihan and CEO Brian Handrigan.
