Can Music or Character Presence Impact the Success of a Super Bowl Ad?

Music and character presence play elementary roles in advertising as they help brands tell their stories more impactfully.

Brands often use music to set the tone and mood of an ad. And as for character presence, having a well-known or popular character gives an ad credibility, and makes it more appealing to a wider audience.

The impact created by using the right music and characters in the right setting and context on ad success is quite substantial, which is what we have covered in our second edition of the Super Bowl Deep Dive report – Music & Character.

We evaluated the top 10 and bottom 10 ads of the last three years on our creative intelligence platform, Incivus, and based on the gathered data and our creative analysis, here is an overview of the three prominent findings:

1. Are celebrities necessary to create a lasting impression?

Celebrities carry a great deal of star power with followers across the globe. While brands also do carry weight to their names to influence purchase decisions, celebrities or any known character can be more influential in generating better results. 

In the Super Bowl, brands spend millions of dollars on advertising spots with the aim of leaving a lasting impression in the minds of the audience.  

How do they do that? 

By featuring celebrities. 

But is it that simple? Not really. 

In our latest Super Bowl Deep Dive report on music and character, we have explored the nuances of character presence including celebrities, and how best to represent them. 

Download the Report Here

2. Is there a right song or genre of music for different industries? 

Music, in itself, is an experience that is also used by brands to enhance the overall experience of their ads, tell better stories, and connect with their audience at an emotional level. 

But does a hip-hop song generate the same reaction in the audience as a classical jazz song? 

Not really. 

Moreover, when a song is paired with a visual, it can generate a completely different reaction and evoke distinct emotions. 

To understand the intricacies of the relationship between music and emotions and their collective impact on ad success, we went instrument-level deep in our second report. Read the report to find the right song and genre for your next ad. 

Download the Report Here 

3. Voiceovers, background music, or dialogues – which mode of communication is the most effective? 

Voiceovers, dialogues between characters, or even simple background music or relatable noise like birds chirping or waterfalls are used to enhance the ad viewing experience of the audience. 

The nuances of how the speech and music are combined with the visuals highly depend on the storylines and desired emotions brands want to evoke in the viewers, which is what we have explored in our second report. 

Download the Report Here  

To read more such detailed reports about other creative variables and their impact on the success of Super Bowl campaigns, visit here or contact our marketing team at marketing@incivus.ai.