The Super Bowl is not just a football game – it is a cultural event viewed around the world. From the commercials to the halftime show to the actual game, there truly is something for everyone when it comes to Super Bowl advertising, so it is no surprise that millions of individuals tune in every year making it one of the most viewed television events on an annual basis. In fact, a mind-blowing 96.4 million individuals in the United States tuned into the 2021 Super Bowl. On top of that, an additional 30 to 50 million watch worldwide on average each year.
The staggering number of eyeballs watching the Super Bowl presents a huge opportunity for marketers and advertisers. However, with 30-second ads costing up to 6.5 million, B2C and B2B brands must still be smart with their creative and messaging in order to connect with their specific target audience.
You’re probably thinking, “But pretty much everybody watches the Super Bowl – it can’t be that hard, right?”
Not so fast.
No matter how big the audience or how many impressions may be guaranteed, the most successful marketers still turn to and rely on quality data to gain insight into the hearts and minds of their customers and prospects to drive their strategy. The Super Bowl is no exception, and with so many unique individuals likely to watch, there are many valuable audiences marketers hope to connect with.
Super Bowl Audiences
Let’s examine just a handful of the audiences likely to indulge in Super Bowl Sunday including football overs, female sports fans, football streamers, and cable subscribers.
Audience insights from AnalyticsIQ PeopleCore Data
Football Lovers & Female Sports Fans
It is no surprise that individuals who love watching football will be eager to see who is going to hoist the Lombardi trophy on February 13th, but who is this core audience? According to our data, football watchers have an average age of 44 years old but 47% are single. When they are not watching football, these individuals are likely to be enjoying a wide variety of fitness activities or hitting the links on the golf course while listening to a podcast. Avid football watchers are also tech innovators and early adopters making them great targets for the latest gadget.
Female individuals who love watching sports are an affluent and educated group making them an extremely valuable audience. Nearly 60% have a bachelor’s or graduate degree, and they have an annual household income 87.3% higher than average. Thanks to their affluence, they spend 30.5% more on discretionary items each year. However, these spontaneous shoppers are always looking for a good deal – probably at Target – as they rank highly as value seekers and are 51.8% more likely to use coupon sites. Sales that incentive quick action are a great way to capture this audience’s attention.
Streamers & Cable Subscribers
It may just seem like ‘watching TV’, but the data tells us that streamers and cable subscribers that watch football are two distinct groups that both present opportunities for B2C and B2B marketers and advertisers. At just under 34 years of age, streamers who love football are younger and more tech savvy than 49-year-old cable football watcher. Streamers are much more likely to shop online – from groceries to electronics – while cable football watchers spend big in a more traditional sense.
One area they also differ is in annual income. Streamers have an average household income, while cable watchers have an income that is 65% greater than average. However, neither group is driven by value or frugality when shopping, and football streamers are much more materialistic and place importance on brand name. As a younger audience, streamers are much more likely to take career risks like changing jobs and to be recreationally adventurous – give these adrenaline junkies something excited to do or present them with action-packed imagery!
The End Game
No matter the event and no matter the size of the audience, the most successful marketers and brands still rely on data to tell them a story from which they can optimize their targeting, messaging, and offer. Even with an event as widely consumed as the Super Bowl, data-driven marketers and advertisers should always examine insights from reliable and accurate external data – you never know who is watching!