A $5.5 million price tag for 30-seconds of air time is steep during the best of times, but it's the price that football's biggest game commands. Of course that doesn't even include the additional costs it takes to run a Super Bowl campaign, from social media assets to hiring the talent to actually shooting the ad.
For some companies, the ability to reach an audience of about 100 million viewers instantaneously who actually want to see your commercial is well worth it. Add in a layer of increased snacking habits during the pandemic and the opportunity becomes priceless for a company like Frito-Lay.
"Amidst the pandemic, we've seen snacking at an all-time high," said Frito-Lay Chief Customer Officer Mike Del Pozzo. "It's almost hypercharged now. Snack consumption is up almost 40 percent."
Though Pepsi is sitting out the Big Game, except for its halftime show, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay is going big. It will run three ads this year including two during the Super Bowl, one for Doritos 3D Crunch and another for a new product: Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix. It will also run a commercial featuring former NFL stars Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, and Marshawn Lynch before the start of the game.
Frito-Lay knows people will reach for the chips, dip, and other savory, salty, or sweet treats more than ever. The company partnered with Morning Consult for a research project called the "Snack Index" to analyze trends, surveying more than 2,000 Americans. Overall, it's predicting a 21 percent increase in demand for snacks compared to previous Super Bowls.
The "Snack Index" survey was conducted January 6, 2021 among a national sample of 2,201 adults who typically watch or plan to watch the Super Bowl this year. Interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, educational attainment, gender, race, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
With people sheltering-in-place, the Super Bowl is bound to get a big audience this year. Eight out of 10 people surveyed intended to watch the game, but unlike in years past, most people are planning smaller gatherings of 10 or fewer people rather than big watch parties. More than half were staying home to watch the game by themselves or with their immediate family.
This shift in behavior could affect shopping habits. Instead of buying large-sized products, people want smaller items that could be enjoyed during the game and by the family in the days after. The survey noted a rise in the popularity of snack-sized variety packs, which can be enjoyed by multiple people who may have varying tastes.
Americans are also going to the store less often, but buying more things during each visit: Baskets are up about 20 percent over traditional grocery store trip purchases, Del Pozzo said. They no longer shop for groceries on Saturday or Sunday, instead opting for midweek trips. About 86 percent of people surveyed planned to buy some of their Super Bowl snacks in the week prior to the game. However, one out of five people still intended to buy snacks within six hours of kick-off.
Outside of shopping, the amount of snacks we want to eat has changed, Del Pozzo pointed out. Chips and dip have been the top Super Bowl snack for the third year in a row, but the demand for those items has peaked during the pandemic. Unflavored tortilla chip sales are up 18 percent since mid-March 2020 according to IRI Data, while dips are up 15 percent.
In addition, Frito-Lay noticed a trend towards what Del Pozzo called "meal prep," or people putting together recipes for snacks and accompaniments like dips rather than just eating it out straight out of the bag or bottle.
With the home chef trend confirmed, PepsiCo recently released a Cheetos cookbook, as well as a recipe hub on MoreSmilesWithEveryBite.com. The new Cheetos Crunch Pop Mix, which is a mix between popcorn and traditional Cheetos, also fits along the lines of this DIY trend. So, if you're making that seven-layer dip or trying out a new brownie recipe this Super Bowl Sunday, you're not alone.
"People are seeking more innovation," he explained.
