In 2024, Super Bowl LVIII featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers was recorded as the most-watched telecast in history, clocking in at 123.4 million viewers. Although the football game is the alleged focus each year, roughly 60% of viewers come for the TV commercial aspect.
What’s more, are the cultural implications of the commercials. With each one ranked on annual ‘Best of’ lists and the blend of pop references, emotion, and social justice messaging making its way into the forefront of American culture, it’s easy to see why Super Bowl commercials continue to remain so popular.
It’s the story. TV commercials rely on powerful storytelling. Let’s explore the critical elements of storytelling in TV commercial services and how businesses can replicate this in their marketing strategies.
Did you know the term “hangry” was added to Merriam-Webster in 2018? The word captures a sort of a timeless feel of becoming irritable due to hunger and it was catapulted to fame by a Snickers Super Bowl commercial featuring Betty White that aired in 2010. Another example offering a different side of emotional impact-storytelling is the Budweiser commercial featuring a farmer who raises a Clydesdale from birth only to then let him go.
Super Bowl TV commercial production sets the gold standard for advertising for a few reasons (that you can replicate).
In both examples above, emotion is the primary driver behind why the commercials worked and were so successful. It works so well in part because humans are wired to connect with stories and when you consider that video production is the top marketing tool in today’s climate, emotional storytelling, and TV commercial services are the perfect pair.
For businesses looking to expand their reach, storytelling is nearly a guaranteed tactic for ad retention, as we can see from the reputation of the Super Bowl and its commercials. What’s more? Ad retention can increase consumer spending by up to 23%.
Additionally, according to WinSavvy, emotional storytelling ad campaigns create content that 80% of viewers will remember more than rational content, ultimately increasing brand recognition and solidifying a reputation consumers can trust (as in the case of the Budweiser Clydesdales).
Plus, with social media rising to a top marketing platform in recent years, storytelling in tv commercial production can boost engagement and shares, ultimately aiding with the business value of brand recall, recognition, and customer loyalty.
So, how can you replicate the Super Bowl’s iconic and powerful storytelling commercials closer to home?
How well you know the target demographic audience is an important factor when it comes to crafting a storied commercial. Identifying what factors are important to the audience will allow you to find the emotion necessary to highlight.
Every creative project should include a litany of ideas, thoughts, and topics. The more you can come up with, the more material you will have to work with (for this project and even future projects). Once the ideas are formed, a storyboard will help plan the story and its flow, ensuring everything blends together seamlessly.
Get clear on your brand values and customer-specific needs. Then create a narrative that includes a hook, a main event, and a conclusion. Writing the scenes and the scripting must focus on balancing the action with the message. The Betty White Snickers commercial, for example, opens with a flag football game. Betty White is a player and when she is tackled into the mud, she’s offered a Snickers bar, causing her to turn into a young man, all in support of the customer need (hunger) and the brand values (curing hunger).
Consumers can sense when a brand is inauthentic. This is why emotional storytelling is so successful. It capitalizes on the authenticity of the brand and the message, making the storyline relatable.
Truly successful TV commercial productions often rely on a subtle call to action. For Super Bowl commercials, the focus is on the action in the frames and the product is typically either placed in the background or featured briefly at the end. Though this is not always the case, it is a consideration when planning the impact you desire.
Successful television video production includes both pre and post-production planning. During pre-production, every project begins with a vision. Creating a detailed plan to bring the vision to life is essential for professional quality television commercials that can one day rival the Super Bowl commercials.
Once the vision is fully formed and planned, it’s time to dive into the research. Everything from the right props and lighting to location and casting must be considered. You’ll need to consider scheduling and budgeting, plus set and costume design.
And, the more buzz you can create about your product, services, or business in general before the TV commercial is on air, the better ad retention and brand recognition you can have. So, public relations and a comprehensive marketing strategy are a must.
For a truly high-quality commercial, post-production services are where the magic happens. This includes music composition and scoring, graphics, titling, and professional editing.
Storytelling is essential for building trust in every relationship, establishing a reputation, and evoking emotion. Let us help you tell yours with professional TV commercial services.
As a full-service media production company, we understand the challenges that can come with producing content. Our work is regularly featured on media giants like A&E, History Channel, NBC, and ABC. We’ll handle everything from pre-production to post-production so all you have to do is enjoy the power of storytelling. Start a project with us today.
