The Super Bowl, often considered the pinnacle event in media advertising, continues to showcase boffo creative ads to a massive audience, driving impact and brand awareness. But beyond the glitz and glamour of this mega-wattage event, there is a wave of innovation happening in the world of ad strategies, technology, and creative execution. To gain insights into this innovation and what lies ahead, I had the opportunity to sit down with Christian Juhl, Global CEO of WPP’s GroupM, and Sharb Farjami, the newly appointed CEO for North America.
GroupM, like many in the ad industry, faced numerous challenges in 2023. Amidst the general turbulence in the ad marketplace, GroupM experienced some significant account losses in the U.S., restructured its operations in North America, and welcomed Farjami as the new CEO. Despite these hurdles, Juhl highlighted that GroupM continued to grow both globally and in North America. Furthermore, GroupM remains the largest media buyer in the world across all media platforms.
Looking towards 2024 and beyond, Juhl emphasized the importance of scale in driving a client's share of voice and securing optimal pricing. While the media landscape is undoubtedly complex, Farjami astutely pointed out that the level of complexity has always existed throughout history. The key lies in leveraging historic strengths while embracing innovation. In that regard, the Super Bowl serves as an excellent test bed.
The 2024 Super Bowl attracted the largest TV audience in U.S. history, with over 123 million viewers. However, what's fascinating is the shift in consumer behavior and the evolving advertising landscape surrounding the event. Traditional 30-second spots were abundant, with many first-time Super Bowl advertisers like Nerds candy, Popeyes, and Drumstick making their mark. Celebrities were also ubiquitous, proving that doing commercials is now considered cool. However, research firm AdImpact reveals that only 59% of viewers watched the Super Bowl on traditional TV, while 14% opted for YouTube TV and another 27% chose various streaming platforms like Paramount+.
Juhl highlighted that clients now aim not only to be present during the Super Bowl but also to be part of the conversation surrounding the game. This necessitates expanding marketing campaigns, building brand awareness through longer narratives, and incorporating elements like influencers, events, and media buys. Farjami added that amplifying messages through diverse outlets has always been GroupM's mission, and the proliferation of platforms enables more targeted approaches to achieving clients' goals.
For GroupM, this meant securing Adidas' presence on the Sphere, a unique out-of-home display amidst the glitter of Las Vegas. Additionally, GroupM planned a streaming-only ad buy for Ally Financial, aligning with the brand's cost-conscious image, and directed Duracell's media focus towards the family-oriented Nickelodeon feed instead of the primary CBS broadcast.
Measuring the effectiveness of these activations relies on setting clear objectives from the outset, according to Farjami. In a world of abundant options, it becomes even more crucial to determine what defines a positive outcome for clients and their agencies. GroupM aims to establish a process around ad innovation by partnering with leading companies such as Disney, NBCUniversal, and YouTube through its Ad Innovation Accelerator project. This collaboration will explore ad interactivity and new methods of measuring consumer engagement.
Of course, the future of advertising also involves artificial intelligence (AI), a topic that couldn't be overlooked in conversations with two prominent ad executives. Juhl envisions a symbiotic relationship between human creativity and machine learning. While human input remains essential in shaping brand strategies and storytelling, the use of AI will transform the creation of advertisements themselves.
In essence, the Super Bowl exemplifies the convergence of legacy strengths and the innovative use of technology. It is a platform where advertisers must find ways to leverage their historic foundations while adapting to the ever-evolving media landscape. As industry leaders like GroupM continue to navigate this landscape, it becomes apparent that success lies in the creative marriage of human ingenuity and cutting-edge technology. Only by watching and learning can we stay at the forefront of these exciting developments in media advertising.
