The Super Bowl has long been considered one of the biggest advertising opportunities, which is why it is important to understand its real impact on the middle part of the marketing funnel – the phase when consumers move from brand awareness to purchase consideration. The results of the VAB analysis, which focused on the advertisers of the Super Bowl 2025, were truly convincing: brands saw a multiple immediate increase in brand searches by curious consumers during the Super Bowl.
How the study was conducted
Analysts from VAB monitored Google Search Trends for 15 selected brands that aired their ads during the Super Bowl 2025. Each of these brands represented a different market segment or marketing strategy. The results were evaluated by comparing the search volume in the week leading up to the Super Bowl and on the day of the event itself. The study assessed how the ads contributed to increasing interest in the respective brands and their products.
The study revealed several key insights that serve as clear evidence of the effectiveness of premium videos viewed on multiple screens and its positive impact on stimulating consumer interest.
Key findings
All 15 analysed brands saw a significant increase in searches compared to the previous week. For new advertisers, searches on Super Bowl night were almost 8 times higher than searches during the previous week. Compared to the second-best week in the last 12 months, searches were 3.5 times higher. It is, therefore, clear that television advertising during the Super Bowl is a highly successful strategy for new advertisers, allowing them to reach a wide audience
Source: VABAdvertising during the Super Bowl also pays off for companies that have consistently bet on advertising during this prominent sporting event for many years. For example, Bud Light, which is a regular advertiser during the Super Bowl, saw a threefold increase in searches.
Source: VABConsidering the issues AB InBev faced with the controversial campaign two years ago, this is truly a success. Using a transgender woman in the ad at that time didn’t pay off, and the company experienced a loss of customers. However, this year’s ad brought them great success. This proves that even established brands can take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen their position.
Video: Bud Light – Super Bowl ad 2025
An interesting finding is that returns of brands after a longer hiatus also work. For example, Stella Artois, which returned to the Super Bowl after six years, saw a sixfold increase in searches.
Source: VABIn its commercial, David & Dave, Stella Artois featured the star duo Beckham and Damon:
Video: Stella Artois –Super Bowl ad 2025
Also, Go Daddy returned to the Super Bowl after a long time - after eight years. It used its ad to launch its AI-based solution and saw an 8.3-fold increase in searches.
Source: VABAnother key conclusion of the study is the growing trend of using the Super Bowl for new segments. For example, the pharmaceutical company Novartis focused its ad on women’s health and saw more than a threefold increase in searches.
Source: VABThe brand focused on the risk of breast cancer. In the ad created in collaboration with the agency Merkley+Partners, they cast comedian Wanda Sykes and actress Hailee Steinfeld.
Video: Novartis – Super Bowl ad 2025
Super Bowl ads can also bring success to brands trying to stand out in a highly competitive segment. For example, poppi, the brand trying to break into the beverage segment, saw a tenfold increase in searches thanks to its ad during the Super Bowl 2025.
Source: VABFor instance poppi relied on influencer marketing and cast Alix Earle in its ad. The ad, titled 'Soda Thoughts,' primarily targeted a young audience and highlighted the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Video: Poppi –Super Bowl ad 2025
Finally, it is necessary to realise that local advertising can be effective as well. Irish whiskey brand Tullamore D.E.W. tested a regional campaign in Chicago and achieved an 8.3-fold increase in searches, indicating the potential of local ads during this event.
Television advertising during the Super Bowl is a great opportunity for any advertiser
The study clearly showed that ads during the Super Bowl have a significant impact on increasing brand awareness and can lead to immediate consumer actions, such as online brand searches. However, the effectiveness of these ads is not limited to traditional big players – it also works for new advertisers, brands trying to break into highly competitive segments, or B2B companies.
The Super Bowl thus remains a key platform for anyone who wants to reach a massive audience and achieve tangible marketing results. The results of this analysis confirm that premium video within multiscreen TV is a powerful tool for achieving goals in the middle part of the marketing funnel.
Television, as a powerful medium, plays a role in helping brands grow. This is, in fact, nothing new. In 2022, Grace Kite presented the advantages of television advertising for online brands during the ScreenVoice Talks 2022 conference. She referred to two studies focusing on the effect television has on online brands. One study was conducted in the UK in collaboration with thinkbox, and the other in Canada in collaboration with think TV. The studies included interviews with marketing directors and experts, as well as econometric analysis of twenty online companies.
“Based on research, we know that the large screen attracts the most attention. However, it is also the screen that gets the least clicks. You can't click on your TV when you're sitting in the living room, but you can click on Facebook on your mobile phone.“
Economist and founder of Magic Numbers, Grace Kite.
According to research by Eyesquare, viewers spend an average of 16 seconds on a commercial spot on linear television, 15 seconds on BVOD broadcasts, just under 15 seconds on YouTube, and 6 seconds on Facebook.
According to Grace Kite, the effect of television advertising is noticeable and immediate because people watch television with their mobile phones in hand and can respond to the ad instantly. According to the 2020 TouchPoints research, 15-40% of people watching television also use the internet. Additionally, television brings a visible and immediate change that persists.
Higher brand awareness through television advertising also leads to a higher click-through rate on the website and increases its effectiveness. When you add to this the trust that consumers have in television, the combination of the Super Bowl and television appears to be a perfect match.
Source: thevab.com