How to Make Super Bowl Ads Relevant for Local Business

Takeaway: Believe it or not, Super Bowl ads can be relevant for local businesses too, not just mega-rich, deep-pocketed corporations. If you want the secret to how local businesses can advertise during the Super Bowl without paying millions, read through to the end of the article.

How would you like your brand to be exposed to an estimated 125 million plus viewers in one fell swoop, over a 30 second stretch? To reach that many eyeballs during the upcoming Super Bowl (Super Bowl LX, 60), you will need to cut a check that is, once again, in the record range.

National 30 second TV spots for Super Bowl LX have been widely reported in the 7-million-dollar range, with pricing in some cases climbing toward 8 million dollars, depending on placement and availability.

That’s a lot of lettuce.

And don’t forget, that number doesn’t include production costs, spokesperson fees, or special effects. That massive bundle of cash is just the broadcast fee.

Is all that time, effort, creative planning, and ultimately money worth it? Well, like a lot of things in life, it depends.

For brands and products that target a wide and diverse audience, an on-point Super Bowl ad can make a lot of sense, both financially and strategically. Products with broad consumer appeal, such as popular consumer goods, food and beverages, automotive, and tech gadgets, often find success advertising in the Big Game.

Additionally, brands looking to make a memorable impact, launch new products, or reinforce their market position may find the high visibility of Super Bowl ads worth the price of admission.

However, not every brand or product is suited for the level of exposure a Super Bowl ad will generate, regardless of whether the cash can be scraped together or not. In 1967, when the first Super Bowl ad was run, a company could likely get away with a misfire. The stakes were so much lower, and in many ways, whatever a brand ran would be viewed as just another ad. Not anymore. To risk stating the obvious, Super Bowl ads are cultural touchstones, and depending on how interesting the game turns out, they might be even more talked about than the game itself.

Here are just a few of the many factors all brands should carefully consider before deciding to pull the trigger.

High Cost: It is a mad stack of cash.

Scale: If you run an ad, and it’s a hit, is your company in a position to handle the increase in sales and or interest? Old cliches exist for a reason. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

Risk of Controversy: Attempting to create a memorable and attention grabbing ad can sometimes lead to controversy. If the message is misunderstood or perceived negatively, it can harm the brand’s reputation. And boy-oh-boy, be very careful about how you use AI  

Target Audience Mismatch: The Super Bowl audience is diverse, but it may not align perfectly with the target demographic of every brand. Some products may benefit more from targeted advertising in specific channels.

One Time Exposure: Super Bowl ads provide a massive audience, but it is a one-time event. The impact may not be sustained over an extended period, and the brand needs to have other marketing strategies in place for continuous visibility.

Measuring ROI: Measuring the return on investment for Super Bowl ads can be challenging. It is often hard to attribute sales directly to the ad, making it difficult to determine its actual impact on the brand’s success.

And the audience is not shrinking. Nielsen reported that Super Bowl LIX (February 9, 2025) averaged 127.7 million viewers, making it the largest Super Bowl audience on record and the largest audience for a single network telecast in TV history.

— Oregon Brands Can Air During the Super Bowl –

For local brands and products that in no way can afford, or justify, a seven-to-eight-million-dollar single broadcast 30 second ad buy, there is another way. Did you know that local broadcast affiliates have a certain number of spots reserved to run ads from local and regional businesses at a fraction of the cost? That’s right. Networks reserve a small number of local break opportunities for affiliates, and those spots can be purchased to run in one or more metro areas instead of nationally.

Now, don’t get too excited. It is still going to cost you. But with planning and a proper strategic and creative team behind you, it is possible.

At the Rushlight Agency, a Pacific Northwest marketing agency, we’ve produced commercials and videos for some of our region’s most recognized brands, including the Portland Trail Blazers, Moda Health, and Dell Computers.

We’re local, we’re experienced, and we would love to help your business, even if it is not a spot during the Big Game. Give us a shout and let’s create something fun and effective.