• by Aaron Baar , January 11, 2017

The biggest event in advertising is coming up quickly, but focusing solely on the game (and its expensive commercials) would be a mistake for marketers looking for consumer attention. 

A survey of (mostly female) consumers by Influence Central finds that many consumers are looking to social media as they plan parties and snacks before the Super Bowl and during the actual game.

“Most of the time, when we talk about marketing during the Super Bowl, it’s about the commercials,” Jessica Smith, chief marketing officer for Influence Central, tells Marketing Daily. “But there’s a real opportunity to integrate with social media beyond the commercials.”

The survey found that 78% of consumers engage on social media platforms (led by Facebook and Twitter) while watching the Super Bowl, either to comment on the commercials (38%), to react to the game (32%), or to post pictures of their own Super Bowl parties (18%).

“Consumers are on social media to plan and prepare,” Smith says. “There’s also a lot of people on social media during the game.”

These consumers, however, are also looking to their social channels in the days leading up to the game for party-hosting and snack ideas, particularly Pinterest (mentioned by 78% of the respondents) and Facebook (26%). Brands looking to be a part of people’s Super Bowl Sunday planning should look to those channels in the days and weeks leading up to the game, Smith says. 

Nearly half of respondents (45%) said they begin their party weeks in advance, with 36% saying they really begin thinking about the party after the two teams have been finalized. Nearly two-thirds of these respondents also dedicate one big shopping run for party preparation.

Beyond the traditional players in party planning (food, beverage and decorating), Smith says other categories may also want to think about getting in front of consumers before and during the big game. “Parties tend to be messy, so cleaning supply [marketers] might also be interested in [Super Bowl-related] advertising,” she says.