The Super Bowl not only ushered in a walloping defeat for Denver, but a new wave of advertising that toed the line between traditional and digital media. Whether brands leaned upon the kitsch of Internet humor or took a more conservative approach to marketing, all roads led back to social.
We wanted to take a closer look at the top five brands we thought merged the two seamlessly, and offered online users an enriched Brand Bowl experience.
Budweiser #BestBuds
Look, this is simple math. Puppies + ponies = immediate ad win. But Budweiser's sweet campaign about two friends, who happen to be an adorable puppy and a Clydesdale pony, didn't stop after the commercial ended. #BestBuds was trending after the game and Budweiser's use of the @BudweiserPuppy handle kept all the aww-worthy engagement coming.
Thank you all so much for the love, my little puppy heart is filled to the brim. Time to hit the hay! #BestBuds pic.twitter.com/5Jz9XXc2nK
- Budweiser Puppy (@BudweiserPuppy) February 3, 2014
RadioShack #InWithTheNew
RadioShack was an undisputed winner last night. Who ever thought we'd see Chuckie ripping through RadioShack's carpet during the Super Bowl? Certainly not us. Their self-aware ad not only poked fun at the store's need to modernize but it featured a varied cast of 80s icons including Hulk Hogan, Mary Lou Retton, and Alf. The fun ad carried the humor onto Twitter, with its 80s-theme giveaways (can I just buy that #VisionShirt outright?) and throwback cadence.
Newcastle Brewing #IfWeMadeIt
It takes a lot of skill and gumption to co-opt the Super Bowl, yet Newcastle did it exclusively on social. Their social and creative team kept a realtime stream of their renditions of the best Super Bowl ads using the hashtag #IfWeMadeIt. When it comes to the Second Screen, Newcastle definitely ran touchdowns all night.
.@GoDaddy Triple-twist ending: you get fired by your own puppet. #IfWeMadeIt
- Newcastle Brown Ale (@Newcastle) February 3, 2014
Chrysler Autos "America's Import"
Detroit is a bastion of America's wealth in the 20th century and, under Chryslers' guidance, we're seeing a surge of pride embedded back into the city's primary industry: car manufacturing. Chrysler summoned the perfect amount of cool, complete with Bob Dylan, to elevate the city's commitment to overcoming financial difficulty. With the Super Bowl coming to represent more than just a game and instead the pinnacle of Americana, it's no surprise that a commercial with the tagline, "Imported from Detroit" leaves a mark. Chrysler's Facebook post with the ad earned over 2,000 likes and close to 300 shares in less than 24 hours.
Chobani #HowMatters
Chobani took a roaring approach to their Super Bowl ad: a grizzly bear, trashing a grocery store, in search for food worth eating. Chobani then took to social to boost their message a little louder with the help of their new unbearably cute mascot.
We can't all smash a store, but you can stand for better food! http://t.co/NVrYZSeKrx http://t.co/erVULG89Hp pic.twitter.com/05lym1rVE4
- Chobani (@Chobani) February 3, 2014
That wraps up our Fantastic Five of the night. Did your favorite ad of the night make the cut? Let us know at @Spredfast. We'd love to hear your feedback!
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