Super Bowl LVIII: The products, ads expected to make big plays during game day

29-Jan-2024 - Last updated on 29-Jan-2024 at 14:46 GMT

Image Credit: Nestlé USA and PepsiCo

With the Super Bowl two weeks away, consumers are preparing their grocery lists and budgets for the big game day, as CPG brands ready their ads and promotions with the anticipation of receiving a volume boost the week after the game.

What is on the menu: chips, dips, and pizza

In its January 2023 consumer report, Kroger-owned market research firm 84.51˚ asked consumers how they’ll be celebrating the big game and the foods that will be on the menu.

Nearly half of consumers (53%) expect to watch the game at home with friends and family, 23% said they will watch at a friend's or family member’s house, 18% will watching it alone, 4% were heading to the bar, and 2% selected other. Compared to last year, 53% of consumers said they expect to join the same amount of people, 12% said less, and 7% said more this year.

When it comes to what consumers will bring to Super Bowl parties, 72% said they will buy chips and dips, 44% pizza, 42% homemade appetizers, 35% side, and 33% pre-made appetizers. Lesser purchased food items include fruit at 32%, cheese/charcuterie at 27%, and homemade desserts at 27%. Only 6% of consumers said they would bring nothing to a party.

Additionally, 47% of consumers said they are planning on purchasing alcoholic beverages, compared to 27% who said the same for non-alcoholic beverages. However, 34% of shoppers under the age of 35, a demographic increasingly embracing a sober or sober-curious lifestyle, will be buying alcohol, compared to 72% of the consumers aged 55-64.

In a separate report compiled by analyzing Google searches, NCSharp found that chili, buffalo chicken dip, guacamole, pigs in a blanket, and spinach and artichoke dip were the top foods for the Super Bowl. Chili was the most popular dish primarily in the Southern US, while buffalo chicken dip was most popular in the Midwest and Northeast.

Additionally, NCSharp surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about their Super Bowl spending intents, with the average American anticipating spending $105 and the party host spending an average of $192. Additionally, one in four Americans said that commercials influence their post-Super Bowl shopping habits, NCSharp reported.

From spicy snacks to giveaways: CPG brands engage consumers through the Super Bowl

As consumers ready their menus for game day, major CPG brands have released details on the commercial that’ll air during the Super Bowl, as they anticipate a post-game lift in volumes. Last year, brands that advertised at the Super Bowl saw a 6.4% increase in consumer demand post-game, based on a survey of 1,600 consumers conducted by behavioral research company Veylinx.

Like in previous years, snack and beverage brands represent a significant portion of the F&B advertisement. Some of this year’s advertisements include:

Doritos, Cheetos bring spicy new flavors to game day: PepsiCo is showcasing several of its brands at the game, with a Tostitos pop-up experience in the stadium, and through commercials. Doritos will showcase the new flavors of its rolled Doritos chips, Dinamita, with a Super Bowl commercial, and Cheetos released a Crunchy Buffalo flavor of its classic chip, inspired by buffalo wings.
DiGiorno brings back Doinks campaign: Pizza brand DiGiorno is continuing its DiGiorno Doinks campaign for the second year. Consumers can win free pizza at any part of the game if a kicker hits the upright or the crossbar of the goalpost. The brand has partnered with former NFL player and top-ten kicker Robbie Gould for the campaign.
Drumstick petitions to make the day after Super Bowl a national holiday: Ice cream brand Drumstick will be airing a 30-second commercial during the third quarter with comedian Eric André and the doll-sized brand mascot Dr. Umstick to promote its #DrumstickMonday campaign in honor of the Monday after the Super Bowl. Consumers can support a Change.org campaign to make the day after the Super Bowl a national holiday and enter to win what their perfect day off would look like.
M&M's celebrates the runner-ups: Candymaker Mars will air a 30-second ad featuring the M&M mascots to showcase the Almost Champions Rings of Comfort, a set of rings featuring lab-created diamonds made from M&M's peanut butter candies. Former NFL players and previous Super Bowl runner-ups Dan Marino, Terrell Owens, and Bruce Smith will be featured in the ad that'll air during the first commercial break.