Cheetos, a regular advertiser at the Super Bowl, has released a teaser for its big game commercial.
The clip is ominous, showing Ashton Kutcher in a dark room behind a locked down.
This might reflect the mood of some brands to this year’s game, seen as THE event to reach a mass television audience of around 100 million.
But industry insiders say this year the challenge is getting the right tone and that has caused some brand to hesitate.
Coca-Cola, which in 20202 spent a reported $US10 million at the Super Bowl, has announced it will join competitor Pepsi on the bench on February 7.
The soda drink maker described its decision as “difficult” and one made to “ensure we are investing in the right resources during these unprecedented times”.
Snacks such as Cheetos, and drinks such as Coke and Pepsi, do well at the Super Bowl because they are also favourites of private parties to watch the game.
However, some brands are taking a more cautious look at the Super Bowl, worried that anything they do --- in a time of big issues such as black lives matter and the presidency -- could be misinterpreted.
Terence Scroope, VP, insights and solutions at programmatic video marketplace Unruly, says Super Bowl LV has the potential to make certain topics very polarising depending upon how they are addressed.
"However, throughout the years, we have seen several major advertisers directly tackle serious topics, such as Black Lives Matter and COVID, in their advertising that has had a positive effect on their brand and business metrics," he told AdNews.
“Staying silent is also a risk, with a lot of recent research suggesting that consumers are increasingly looking to brands to take firm stances on social and political issues. The fact remains that the US is a very divided nation at this moment and regardless of the position a brand chooses to take in this moment they will end up isolating some of their consumers.
“I would recommend brands test and tweak their content in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl Sunday to ensure their messaging is as effective as it can be and remains right at the heartbeat of shifting consumer opinion."
Doritos, one of the flagship brands from PepsiCo, is going ahead with its Super Bowl campaign, #FlatMatthew.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to introduce this campaign to the world and see fans' smiles," says Rachel Ferdinando, SVP and CMO, Frito-Lay North America.
"With the launch of our biggest innovation in a decade in new Doritos 3D Crunch, we wanted to share in a big way. To be able to showcase this breakthrough product on the Super Bowl with the help of the incredible Jimmy Kimmel and Mindy Kaling is awesome. I can't wait to reveal our third mystery character in the story."
Doritos is a staple of Super Bowl advertising with some of the most memorable commercials, including the Doritos 3D's original ad in 1998 with the "Laundromat" commercial starring actress Ali Landry, who was instantly dubbed the Doritos Girl.
The latest Doritos teaser:
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