When the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs take the field on Sunday, only one team will claim victory. However, in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the competition among companies to dominate the branding game has been just as fierce.
With Super Bowl commercials becoming increasingly expensive—this year’s 30-second spots cost a staggering $5.6 million—many advertisers are looking for alternative ways to generate buzz around the event. And if they can do it for a fraction of the cost, all the better.
Outdoor and ambient advertising tied to the game present a compelling alternative. Not only are these methods significantly cheaper than Super Bowl commercials, but they also have a strong chance of going viral in today’s social media-driven world. And let’s not forget the audience—these football fans are highly desirable. Super Bowl tickets alone cost nearly $6,400 this year, not including the additional expenses for lodging, food, and transportation that die-hard fans willingly pay.
What makes advertising around the Super Bowl so exciting is the opportunity to go bold, be outrageous, and grab attention in the most creative ways possible. There’s no other platform that invites such audacious and inventive campaigns. Below, we spotlight 10 memorable outdoor Super Bowl advertising campaigns from recent years—and some from further back—that have truly made an impact.
