It used to be that Super Bowl advertising was sacred. Hush hush. A really big secret about what would happen in between plays of the really big game. Not so anymore. Over the last few years, in an effort to stand out in the ever-crowded content universe, some Super Bowl advertisers have begun releasing their full TV spots days before the game airs. The first few to do so experienced exactly what they were looking for: a nice buzz build and a feeling of in-the-know familiarity for those who saw (and shared) the spot before it ran…then saw it again during the game. But then, one might argue, too many brands began embracing this tactic – removing the breakthrough quality it once provided. So what now? Butterfinger Cups has the answer.
The highly anticipated competitor to market dominator Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups has just released a teaser for their Super Bowl spot. Only it’s not a few-second video just long enough to whet your viewing appetite. Instead, the Butterfinger Cups Super Bowl teaser is a full-on, longer-than-a-minute, commercial for their commercial. That’s pretty innovative – which bodes well for the snack that purports to be an all-new kind of peanut butter cup. The word “teaser” is equally appropriate, given the flirty-bordering-on-racy nature of this spot that centers on “edible couples’ counseling.” Take a look at the video:
While the concept alone is enough to cause chatter, marketers will be fixated on the fact that Nestlé has found a new way to up the Super Bowl ad game: by creating a commercial for a commercial. In a few weeks, the football-watching world will see if the #CupTherapy payoff was worth the wait.
~ @AdvertGirl (CEO, The S3 Agency)
Note: This post first appeared in my Examiner column.
