With the Super Bowl coming up in less than a week, we wanted to take a moment to look back on the top-performing television ads of 2022 and how you can use their strategies for your own marketing campaigns.
Top 10 highest-performing ads according to YouTube:
Amazon’s Big Game Commercial: Mind Reader
Welcome to CLAN CAPITAL! Clash of Clans New Update!
Goal of the Century x BTS | Yet To Come (Hyundai Ver.) Official Music Video
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts | Official Trailer | HBO Max
Introducing iPhone 14 Pro | Apple
All of Us Are Dead | Official Trailer | Netflix
Sally's Seashells (Extended) | Big Game Commercial 2022
Zeus & Hera | BMW USA (Official Video)
The Kardashians | Official Trailer | Hulu
The Magical World of Disney's Encanto | LEGO Encanto
It’s worth noting that these selections were “determined by an algorithm that factors in organic and paid views, watch time, and audience retention.”
As you can see, 50% of the highest-performing ads released in 2022 debuted at the Super Bowl. Other notable Super Bowl ads were General Motors' “Austin Powers”, Booking.com featuring Idris Elba, FTX with Larry David, and Verizon reprising Jim Carey’s infamous “Cable guy”.
You’ll notice 3 commonalities between these ads.
Big budgets
Celebrity cast
Humor
What does this mean for your brand?
With humor and entertainment being the primary drivers behind high-performing ads, the desire for brands to show their audience that they’re relatable remains a constant in 2023. Shareability is the key to the success of these videos and it is the key to yours as well, no matter what platform you’re releasing them on. Not everyone has access to a celebrity cast with Idris Elba or Jim Carey, so for the following analysis, we’re going to move forward under the assumption that you don’t have access to such household names (even if you do).
Let’s zoom out from traditional national television campaigns for a second and look at some numbers.
Overall, YouTube has seen a 2% decrease in ad revenue as other platforms like Instagram and TikTok garner attention (YouTube is trying to combat this decrease with the introduction of YouTube Shorts in an effort to keep viewers engaged on their platform).
1 in 3 Tiktok live users considers TikTok their go-to place to connect with brands.
33% of customers respond better when ads refer to them directly on TikTok.
These statistics indicate that viewers appreciate brand rapport and value this connection with brands they align with. Brand loyalty is alive now more than ever. Where in the past this is something you could buy from the consumer with ad dollars, in our current market this is something that is earned. Beware, because a loyal fan base values authenticity and if they feel betrayed in that regard the loyal fan base will share every article, bad experience, and personal testimony to make sure the public is aware.
But don’t let that scare you. Word of mouth is usually a good thing. It’s free additional exposure to your brand, and that’s where social media really thrives!
Word of mouth (via sharing and tagging) between friends increases post engagement thus helping boost your post in the popular social media platforms to the “for you page” (also known as FYP). The majority of the top creators on Youtube/Instagram/TikTok focus on big challenges, like surviving on $5 per day or asking restaurants if they would like an on-the-fly promotional video filled with sweeping transitions and scroll-stopping camera movements.
How 1 brand is approaching the 2023 Super Bowl
A prime example of how brands are incorporating this into their marketing strategy is State Farm which opted for a TikTok campaign over a traditional 30-second spot with our favorite leading man - Jake from State Farm. In the video, Jake encourages viewers to duet the video while showcasing their own dance skills for the chance to win an opportunity to be in one of their commercials.
There’s no question that the Super Bowl is the largest advertising platform in North America - but is a $7mil 30-second commercial that creates a one-way dialogue between you and your consumer the correct route to take? Or is a thoughtful campaign like State Farm that’s tailored for social platforms a smarter decision? The latter results in engaging two-way communication WITH your audience and increased brand rapport.
If engaging with your audience while increasing exposure is your goal, evidence shows you should create big-time challenges and emotion-driven content that generates viral traction through people sharing the clips with their friends.
Video ads have proven to be more engaging and have a further reach than traditional ads. We knew this for television but what about the second screen that's always with you? In January 2023, videos are the highest-performing piece of content on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube (this one is obvious right?), TikTok, and Facebook. That’s a lot of videos.
If you need help with your video creation needs, please check out our website or reach out to us at info@austinfilmcrew.com.
Stay creative.
Austin Film Crew
