Expanding NFL Viewership Leads to More Multicultural Advertising

Written by Jessica Wilhoit

Super Bowl 58 is airing Sunday February 11, 2024. Costing $7 Million for thirty seconds, Superbowl commercials are a huge marketing opportunity (NPR). Are Superbowl ads multicultural? The NFL was the only sports program among the NFL, MLB and the NBA to start their program with African American coaches and players in 1920 according to Richard Lapchick a writer for ESPN.com. The NFL is working to grow its viewership and it is reaching out to women, younger generations, as well as the international community to do this.

NYX and ELF both have commercials for the SuperBowl this year. Both brands have inclusive shade range foundations with 45 and 42 shades respectively. These commercials will target women. Women of almost any cultural background can find a foundation at NYX or ELF. Elf sells a color corrector that transforms a similar shade to a perfect match. Both makeup brands serve a younger Gen Z to Millennial customer base. Several brands are targeting these generations in their SuperBowl commercials by using young multicultural talents. Doritos Dinamita showcases Jenna Ortega from Netflix’s Wednesday

TurboTax has recent Emmy winner, Quinta Brunson, from Abbot Elementary. Addison Rae is a TikTok star shown enjoying Nerds Gummy Clusters in Nerds’ Flashdance themed commercial. PepsiCo’s Starry, a lemon-lime soda, commercial stars Ice Spice. These commercial sneak peaks are courtesy of Jameson Fleming in his ADWEEK article. The NFL is also targeting a younger, more family centric audience with a new Nickelodeon viewing option. The hosts on Nickelodeon will be from Spongebob SquarePants’ Bikini Bottom.  

The NFL is growing viewership with not just a younger, but also a more international consumer. The NFL has its own international commercial that showcases a football player, playing in the streets of Ghana. 

Michelob ULTRA’s commercial stars Argentinian soccer player Messi. Soccer is a very international sport with a wider reach than football. By using an international soccer star who plays for Argentina and Barcelona’s FC Barcelona teams, Michelob ULTRA catches the eye of a much more international crowd. The NFL is growing in popularity among young European and Asian viewers. Viewers who identify as Latino have increased interest in the NFL rapidly in the last year. Latinos account for 17% of the NFL fanbase according to Eleanor Hawkins’ article on Axios. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

The NFL is reaching out to a younger, more diverse, fan base to grow viewership. As a result, advertising by the NFL and brands with Super Bowl commercials have become more multicultural. Your team can reach out to a more diverse audience by using Etech’s G-Tech and Digital Engagement products today.