In the US, February is always marked by an important event we all know and love. With that in mind, we examined Super Bowl ads with the question “Is it really worth it to invest millions for a 30-second ad?” Alongside others that emerged this month, we covered the highly important topic of accessibility when it comes to digital signage. Let’s get started!
Super Bowl ads dominating in 2024
Super Bowl is a big event, especially for the world of advertising, as it offers a platform that will reach tens of millions. Each year, Super Bowl ads are concentrated more in one field than in others. For instance, 2022 was dominated by cryptocurrency brands, unofficially dubbing it the Crypto Bowl. This year, however, the focus shifted towards snacks and beverages.
Brands including Pringles, Doritos, Oreo, Reese’s, and M&M’s made their appearance, alongside several others.
To explain the increase in snack content, Michelle Deignan, VP of Oreo US, pointed to the so-called “lipstick effect.” Lipstick falls into the category of less expensive products and treats which are purchased during times of economic uncertainty. “Snacking brands get a benefit when some of the economic pressures exist more broadly,” she said.
Alongside snacks, there was a big presence of sports betting ads. Another thing to note is that, despite continue to be present, automaker industry ads have somewhat weakened in recent years.
Are Super Bowl ads worth it?
Speaking of the big event, it is safe to say that most businesses can’t ever afford Super Bowl ads in their budget. After all, a 30-second ad costs an average of $7,000,000. However, if you could afford it, would it be worth the investment? And is it the best possible way to spend your ad budget? In short for both of those questions, the answer is no.
Outfront recently compiled some neat comparisons on their blog, given the fact that the Super Bowl happened this month. Comparatively, for the price of one 30-second Super Bowl ad, you can get a four-hour roadblock on every single one of Times Square digitals, every day for a week. And you would still have money left. But in such an example you wouldn’t reach the full width of the United States and beyond.
Here’s another viewpoint for you. For ads that simply aim to raise awareness, Out-of-Home advertising is most certainly the better option. Meanwhile, Super Bowl ads appear to have evolved into something different. They’re heavily reliant on creative advertising and content that is designed to linger in the memory of the viewer, rather than simply make them aware of the product. This is why the most successful and memorable Super Bowl ads were smart, funny, and creative ones. As such, it’s more of a high-risk high-reward choice, whereas Out-of-Home advertising offers a safer alternative.
ISE 2024 and 2025!
OnSign TV’s visit to ISE 2024 was quite an exciting adventure, and the event as a whole satisfied all expectations! In fact, it was the biggest ISE event to date. What’s more exciting to hear is that exhibit stand space reservations for ISE 2025 already surpassed the bookings for this year. And the exhibit space is not yet totally booked out.
“The very strong demand for exhibition space has led us to expand our availability by opening up Hall 8.1, enhancing opportunities for showcasing innovation and engagement.” This comes from the show’s managing director, Mike Blackman.
Furthermore, an exciting piece of news this month was to see OnSign TV among rAVe [PUBS] 2024 ISE Awards, recognized as the “Best Digital Signage CMS!” Take a look at the full list of achievements from all categories!
A tip on selling ad space in Q2
The Billboard Insider blog posted an interesting article this month, very useful for signage owners looking to sell advertising space in the second quarter of 2024. It’s important to adapt to the changes that happen throughout the year ahead. For a start, consider some of the key events that will take place in the upcoming quarter. These include Tax deadline, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s/Father’s day, as well as the First Day of Summer.
All these important events offer unique advertising opportunities. Taking this potential into consideration, you can approach key advertisers and present the potential of advertising leading up to these big moments.
Making digital signage accessible for EVERYONE!
This month on the OnSign TV blog, we covered a very important topic in the world of digital signage: accessibility! We all know the potential and power of digital signage to make our lives easier. Most importantly, it can be used to help every single individual access important information with ease. It presents a great opportunity to provide accessibility to individuals with disabilities or sensory issues.
In the post, we covered some guidelines on this topic, such as providing interactive touchscreens, transport information, emergency notifications, as well as sensory-friendly content. Take a look and take your digital signage to the next level!
Cover image by Mick Haupt.
