You may have seen an advertisement during the Super Bowl for Taco Bell’s new product, the quesalupa. The ad, titled “Bigger Than Futbol” and starring Brazilian footballer Neymar, NBA player James Harden, and others, generated a lot of buzz on social media, in online articles and TV news the next morning. But, what many viewers may not realize is that most Super Bowl ads are successful not simply because they’re catchy; the most talked-about ads are supported by a calculated well-executed marketing plan.
In Taco Bell’s case, the announcement of the product began weeks before the Super Bowl, with a tongue-in-cheek redacted press release and multiple online videos starring various celebrities that teased the new product. Beginning February 1, the restaurant chain announced it was taking pre-orders on its website for the yet-unrevealed product. A Snapchat campaign allowed four chosen social media influencers and three bands to give their followers a sneak peek of the product two days before it launched nationwide, generating buzz on the mobile app. The product was available at Taco Bell restaurants for two hours the day before the Super Bowl, creating even more social media chatter. Taco Bell’s own website fed the frenzy, revealing just enough information beforehand and following up with splashy graphics about the quesalupa.
All these elements, combined with aggressive public relations outreach toward social media and traditional media to secure additional mentions and conversations after the Super Bowl, created a successful viral campaign for the new product. Without the supportive measures, the ad most likely would not have had the same impact on consumers.
What does this mean for your business? While you probably aren’t spending your budget on Super Bowl ads, it is still very important to consider all forms of marketing and how they interact with each other to create a successful campaign. Media buying, and knowing when and where to place your advertising so it reaches your maximum target audience, combined with strong creative messaging, public relations efforts, social media management and appropriate follow-up, all executed within a strategic timeframe – this is the recipe for a successful response to your campaign.
In order to bring all the elements together as strategically and economically as possible, you need the knowledge of marketing experts. We can help. Give us a call and we can tailor a marketing plan to meet your goals.
– Hannah
