How much does it cost to run an ad during the Super Bowl? And is it really worth it? Beyond the obvious questions of when, where and who, these two questions around cost dominate the lead-up to any Super Bowl.
But ahead of the 56th Super Bowl - due to be played at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, this weekend - is it time to think of a different kind of cost?
The climate crisis has dominated news headlines in recent months - and with good reason. From environmental disasters all over the world to terrifying climate reports predicting there's much worse to come, every day it feels like we're bombarded with some more bad news about the environmental damage we're wreaking on our poor planet -- with very little being done to fix the problem. In reference to a certain controversial Netflix show, people really need to look up.
Every industry has to play its part in trying to cut down carbon emissions and their impact on the planet. And what better way to start than the self-proclaimed 'biggest show on Earth' - the Super Bowl? But instead of focusing on the huge carbon cost of running such a huge spectator event that attracts interest all around the globe, let's focus on the real stars of Super Bowl Sunday - the ads.
Now, there's no doubt there are industries with larger carbon footprints than Adland, but advertising has a far bigger impact on the environment than you might think.
For example, did you know the internet alone generates around 4% of global CO2 emissions? To put that in some kind of context, that's the same as the airline industry, with digital advertising responsible for a decent chunk of that. A recent Purpose Disruptors report also found that the advertising industry could be adding as much as 28% more to the annual carbon footprint of every person.
But what about the Super Bowl specifically? What negative impact do Big Game ads have on the environment?
Well, as there are so many variables involved - including the size of the creative asset, the files used and where it was viewed - it's hard to even estimate.
But when you consider the average video generates around 1 ton of Co2 for every 1 million impressions, and that, according to Acuity Ads the top 10 most viewed video ads of Super Bowl 2022 generated 422 million video views purely during the period February 1 - February 16, 2022, you get some idea of the scale of the issue.
But beyond simply cutting carbon emissions, Super Bowl advertisers - and Adland in general - have a more significant, special role to play in tackling the climate crisis that sets it apart from other industries.
After all, people who work in the ad industry are the architects of desire. We create what consumers buy.
As an industry, we need to use our creativity and considerable influence to actually change consumer behavior and change society for the better.
The messages advertisers decide to push out, the media partners they work with and the formats they use - you could argue these choices have never been more important to the future of the planet. And there is no bigger or better stage than the Super Bowl.
So isn't it time for the "Greatest Show on Earth" to live up to its billing?
