Strike Overview
- Is your 2025 Super Bowl ads strategy ready to hit the ground running as soon as the championship game kicks off?
- According to Fox, inventory for Super Bowl TV ads sold out as early as November 2024. Each 30-second TV ad spot sold for around $7 million—an ad budget that’s definitely over the charts.
- This December, Netflix’s airing of the NFL Christmas Gameday became the most-streamed game to date. The game featured Super Bowl LVIII winner and now 2025 odds favorite Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans.
- With sports events getting 24% more engagement than any other programming, advertisers must be well ahead of the game for a good headstart in the ad auction seats.
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Your Ultimate 2025 Super Bowl Ads Strategy From Kickoff to Touchdown
The 2025 Super Bowl is just around the corner, with the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs emerging as fan favorites for this season’s championship showdown. But while the NFL playoffs heat up, the real competition for advertisers happens off the field—fighting for coveted Super Bowl commercials and top social media ad placements.
With over two-thirds of Americans tuning in as NFL fans, the Super Bowl’s cultural impact is undeniable. From Taylor Swift’s appearances at Chiefs games to Jason Kelce’s post-retirement ESPN broadcasts, and Kendrick Lamar’s highly anticipated halftime performance at Super Bowl LIX in the Caesars Superdome, the event is as much a pop culture phenomenon as it is a sports event.
For brands, this presents an extraordinary opportunity to connect with sports audiences and more. However, with intense competition in TV and social media ad spaces, creating a winning campaign requires a strong 2025 Super Bowl ads strategy.
How Are Social Media and the Super Bowl Connected?
Short-form video content has transformed the way sports fans engage with events like the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram have become go-to destinations for fans to consume bite-sized highlights, real-time updates, and behind-the-scenes moments.
While NFL games are traditionally TV-driven spectacles, social media amplifies the experience, keeping fans engaged between games and hyping up major events like the Super Bowl. The buzz intensifies online as the big game approaches, connecting brands with highly engaged audiences eager to interact with Super Bowl-related content.
Early Super Bowl Buzz Since Q4
The Super Bowl conversation starts long before game day. Brand24 data reveals that by December 2024, mentions of the Super Bowl had already reached a social media reach of 94 million. Additionally, spending on 2025 Super Bowl ads reached an estimated $31.55 million, highlighting how brands have embraced the hype to secure their place in the conversation.
Super Bowl Social Media Reach by Platform
Each social media platform has its moment to shine during the Super Bowl. Here’s a breakdown of the engagement stats from the 2024 Super Bowl, showcasing how each network plays a unique role in connecting with audiences:
How Will Brands Use Social Media in Super Bowl Advertising This Year?
Social media advertising’s versatility is vast now—from the usual video ads to AR filters, interactive add-ons and stickers, and more. Brands can take advantage of many features in social media advertising platforms when preparing for their 2025 Super Bowl ads strategy.
Here are just a few of the ways that brands can engage NFL fans in Super Bowl advertising campaigns:
Break into Cross-Device Experiences
Mobile devices dominate YouTube viewership, with an estimated 47.9% share for 2024. However, Connected TV (CTV) is proving to be a formidable contender. According to Strike Social’s Q3 2024 report, CTV campaigns boasted a 76% view rate, edging out mobile’s 73%.
The takeaway? A successful Super Bowl ads strategy for 2025 should target both mobile devices and CTV screens to maximize reach across large and small-screen audiences.
Further, Brian Wieser of Madison and Wall projects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% for sports programming spending through 2026, encompassing major events like the NBA, Olympics, NASCAR, and the NFL. This surge in spending signals the rising demand for sports content across all platforms.
Advertisers should also consider YouTube TV’s growing share of game-day viewership. During the 2024 Super Bowl, YouTube TV accounted for 14% of viewership, translating to over 17.3 million viewers out of the total 123.7 million audience. These figures highlight the value of targeting mobile users and CTV viewers to capture diverse audiences on game day.
Tapping Into the eSports and Gaming Community
Super Bowl ad audiences extend far beyond stadium-goers and social media followers—they also include eSports enthusiasts and the gaming community. These groups share a natural connection to competitive sports and team dynamics, making them an untapped audience for Super Bowl ads.
The U.S. eSports market is thriving, valued at approximately $1.07 billion in 2024. Moreover, the video game industry in the U.S. includes around 190.6 million players, 76% of whom are aged 18 and above—making them prime targets for Super Bowl advertising.
Another layer to consider is the sports betting community, which adds even more opportunities for brands to connect. NFL fans placing bets on Super Bowl odds represent a highly engaged audience subset. Localized campaigns can be particularly impactful in states where sports betting is legal, aligning your ads with state-specific opportunities outlined by the American Gaming Association.
The “Taylor Swift Effect” Still Going Strong
Taylor Swift has proven to be an ultimate force capable of boosting brands to unprecedented recognition—a phenomenon famously dubbed the “Taylor Swift effect.” Her influence spans diverse industries, from small businesses to established brands. Her recent appearances for boyfriend, Travis Kelce’s, NFL games have expanded football’s reach to the dedicated “Swiftie” demographic, bridging the gap between sports and pop culture.
Swift’s endorsements are often subtle yet highly effective, showcasing products regularly found across platforms like Amazon and TikTok Shop. Here are a few examples of her influential picks over the past year:
Even during the 2024 Super Bowl, brands have seen success by tapping into narratives that resonate with Swift’s audience. For instance, Cetaphil’s 30-second TV ad spot featured a father and daughter reconnecting, which received acclaim partly due to its emotional relevance to NFL fans and Swifties alike.
Similarly, by capitalizing on influencer collaborations, you can use the same playbook for your 2025 Super Bowl ads strategy. Partnering with influencers can help expand your reach and engage audiences more effectively. Start by identifying accounts with strong followings and high engagement in sports and lifestyle spaces.
Here’s a short list of top influencers to consider for your campaigns during Super Bowl 59:
Further Reading
Connect with Sports Audiences using Instagram Partnership Ads
Previously known as Branded Content Ads, Partnership Ads allow seamless integration of sponsored content when collaborating with Instagram influencers. Learn how to generate ad codes and connect them with your 2025 Super Bowl advertising campaigns.
Short-Form for the Long Run
While the 30-second NFL commercials during the Super Bowl undoubtedly capture millions of viewers, social media platforms allow brands to extend their reach with even shorter ads. Just 5 to 6 seconds can spark interest and engage your audience from the kickoff.
Short-form video not only builds initial awareness but also serves as a gateway to deeper engagement. By following up with longer ads, you can drive your viewers toward conversion and ultimately turn them into loyal consumers.
To illustrate the effectiveness of short-form content, here’s a snapshot from our Q1 2024 YouTube report. Shorter YouTube ads (15 seconds or less) had a strong 60% view rate, while slightly longer ads (16-30 seconds) held a 55% view rate. This data confirms that while shorter videos capture attention quickly, longer ads also provide a valuable opportunity to tell your brand’s story and drive conversions.
Super Bowl Marketing Strategies for Paid Social Ads
Now that you know how paid social can help you reach NFL fans, here are 2025 Super Bowl ads strategies to help you connect with engaged audiences this season:
Promoted Super Bowl Ads on X (Twitter)
Align Promoted Ads with the Game Moments
- Stay ahead of the game by sharing relevant Promoted Tweets that engage your audience in real-time. There’s no need to wait for the Super Bowl champion—capitalize on the excitement as the NFL playoffs kick off on January 12. With predictions circulating about which teams will make it to the big game, this is the perfect moment to join the conversation.
- With X Promoted Ads, you can position your brand at the top of search results when users look up “Super Bowl” or related content. Your ads can also appear within sports-centered feeds, reaching users whose interactions are focused on NFL-related tweets.
Super Bowl Advertising on Instagram
Partner Up with Nano Influencers
- Instagram is the top platform for influencer collaborations, with 72% of marketers choosing it for their campaigns. To add, influencer partnerships on Instagram yield the highest ROI at 30%, surpassing Facebook’s 20%.
- Focus on influencers whose content revolves around the NFL playoffs, Super Bowl ad predictions, or sports content in general. This allows you to tap into their engaged audience through Partnership Ads, extending your reach.
- On average, influencer partnership campaigns on Instagram see a 2.2% engagement rate. Partnering with nano influencers can increase this to 5%. With 65% of influencer accounts being nano influencers, there’s a large pool of potential collaborators for your Super Bowl ads.
Hook Audiences with Views-Focused Campaigns
- Just as Super Bowl commercials capture attention through 30-second TV ads, focusing on viewership in Instagram campaigns can lead to strong results. Strike Social’s Campaign Lab data reveals that optimizing for pre- and post-game hype during Q1 is key to driving higher view rates with your 2025 Super Bowl advertising campaigns.
- Instagram view rate trends reveal a surge starting two weeks before the Super Bowl. During game week, view rates may dip as audiences focus on game highlights and related content. However, ad viewership bounces back the following week and remains strong through March.
- Capitalize on this momentum by extending your campaigns to target sports audiences beyond the Super Bowl, sustaining the view rates as March Madness approaches.
Using Super Bowl in TikTok Advertising
Drive UGC with Branded Hashtag Challenges
- For their 2023 NFL Super Bowl marketing, Doritos launched the #DoritosTriangleTryout challenge. To join, users must create a “triangle-inspired dance” for a chance to be featured during the big game. TikTok influencers like Josh Killacky and Lizzie Lu quickly joined the trend, resulting in the branded hashtag amassing over 12 billion views.
- Get creative with your own branded hashtag to promote your 2025 Super Bowl ads. For example, Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) are popular on game day, with 1 in 7 Americans ordering takeout during the game.
- Encourage customers to share their favorite game-day snacks with a hashtag like #[YourRestaurantName]SnackChallenge. UGC will help spark buzz and expand your reach, as your patrons’ communities share their videos, spreading your brand’s presence.
Super Bowl Ads on YouTube and its Networks
Big Screens for the Big Game
- YouTube is now a major player in Connected TV, alongside platforms like Roku, Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. By 2026, YouTube’s revenue from CTV is projected to quadruple. When compared to other U.S. streaming services, YouTube holds the top share in both ad time (4.6%) and time spent (9.9%).
- Advertising on YouTube allows brands to tap into ad inventory across various networks, including YouTube TV and Google TV. With YouTube TV’s 8 million users and Google TV’s 20 million, brands can make a significant impact without the high cost of advertising during the Super Bowl.
Further Reading
Utilize Google TV’s Growing Network for Your YouTube Ads
Increase brand awareness by telling a compelling story that captures viewers’ attention. Begin with the big screens and discover how to tap into Google TV’s growing network for your YouTube ad campaigns.
YouTube Shorts for Fast, Shareable Content
- Let’s not forget that YouTube is a mobile app first, and thus, mobile users should never be ignored. Our data from Q1 encompassing the 2024 Super Bowl, showing the share of impressions and views, highlights how mobile and CTV placements level the playing field:
- Along with CTV placements, focusing on short-form content on YouTube Shorts can help you reach more sports-engaged audiences, boosting your Super Bowl ads’ performance even further. If you’re focusing on a Views-centric approach, a good 2025 Super Bowl ads strategy would include a YouTube Video Views Campaign, where you can take advantage of YouTube Shorts, skippable in-stream, and in-feed placements.
- Based on our 2024 Campaign Lab data, here’s a snapshot of view rates for different industries during January to March:
- As we can see, industries like gambling (which ties into sports betting), adult beverages, and food are big draws for NFL fans watching the Super Bowl. However, even if you’re a non-sports brand like automotive or finance, our YouTube data shows you can still effectively reach Super Bowl fans and sports audiences.
- By utilizing precise audience targeting and segmentation, paired with continuous optimization, you can ensure your 2025 Super Bowl ads strategy succeeds.
Is Your Paid Social Ads Strategy Now Super Bowl-Ready?
The 2025 Super Bowl will be a highly competitive arena, with both sports and non-sports brands vying for ad space. Let’s be honest—while the $7 million price tag for a Super Bowl ad is out of reach for many, paid social media advertising offers a more cost-effective way to reach the same audience, at a fraction of the price.
Working with an experienced ad agency can significantly enhance the performance of your Super Bowl campaign. Share your 2025 goals with us, and let’s discuss how our SwaS (software with a service) solutions can help optimize your Super Bowl campaigns.
