Opinion
Israeli touchdown: What are tech companies looking for in the Super Bowl?
"Ultimately, when advertising in the Super Bowl game, the medium is the message - it’s a demonstration of power and maturity at the highest level, reserved for the most successful and ambitious companies," writes Aviv Cohen, CMO of Pentera.
This week, the biggest American sporting spectacle took place in New Orleans. Around 130 million viewers watched the 59th Super Bowl game across various platforms - primarily on television, but also through countless digital channels and social media networks. Audiences spent hours not only to watch the game, but also to enjoy an unparalleled annual festival of marketing and advertising.
For decades, the Super Bowl game has been the ultimate stage for the advertising world, showcasing the most innovative, most exciting, most humorous, and most expensive commercials. It’s such a unique media platform where millions of engaged viewers aren’t skipping the ads (as they would on a regular day), but instead are actively watching them, because for many the commercials are the main reason they tune in. Many of the most iconic and memorable ads first aired during the Super Bowl game and became American cultural landmarks - like Betty White playing football, Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny starting a relationship that later led to a blockbuster movie (Space Jam), Apple’s famous 1984 ad, and many more.
In recent years a greater number of Israeli companies, particularly Israeli tech companies, have chosen to advertise on the biggest stage of all. Wix, Monday.com, Fiverr, and Gong are some of the most notable examples, and this year, cybersecurity company Pentera has joined them.
The question arises: What do Israeli startups have to gain from this spectacle? Especially when it comes to companies targeting the B2B market. Super Bowl game advertising is expensive - it’s clear why it benefits B2C organizations such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Budweiser, but where is the value for an Israeli B2B tech company?
The first answer to this question is that a Super Bowl commercial is much more than just an ad. It’s not merely a marketing move but a strategic step for the organization. Beyond being a status symbol, it serves as a powerful branding and positioning tool for customers, partners, and employees worldwide - particularly in key strategic regions and specific industries across the U.S.
Super Bowl advertising is a brand-building move. In the cybersecurity world, for example, there are over a thousand different companies operating in the market. To capture the attention of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and rise above an overwhelming number of competitors, companies need to take bold and unconventional steps.
Of course, this isn’t a strategy suitable for every company at every stage. The businesses that choose to advertise in the Super Bowl game.
Super Bowl advertising is a brand-building move. In the cybersecurity world, for example, there are over a thousand different companies operating in the market. To capture the attention of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and rise above an overwhelming number of competitors, companies need to take bold and unconventional steps.
Of course, this isn’t a strategy suitable for every company at every stage. The businesses that choose to advertise in the Super Bowl game are usually those that have already reached a certain level of maturity, with a value proposition that includes a solid platform and a set of products well-suited to the market. There’s little point in advertising in the Super Bowl game before having a proven solution and a significant customer base. This type of advertising is aimed at expansion and accelerating growth - best suited for companies that have already achieved the necessary scale and are ready to leverage the massive stage it provides.
Additionally, you don’t need famous personas like Michael Jordan or George Clooney to appear in your commercial. Many Super Bowl ads involve multi-million-dollar productions beyond the cost of the airtime itself, but Israeli companies are proving that their marketing teams have reached a level of maturity previously demonstrated only on the technology side.
Israeli startups know how to produce their commercials using more effective and cost-efficient methods. They can also strategically purchase ad spots that reach their target audiences without necessarily broadcasting across the entire U.S.
At the same time, there is a growing understanding that while the ad itself is the heart of the campaign, a successful Super Bowl campaign involves much more than just the 30 seconds where it airs on television. It includes extensive efforts targeting all key audiences - customers, partners, and employees - while leveraging various digital platforms and social media channels to maximize impact. The goal is not just to make an impression during the 30-second ad slot during the Super Bowl game but to extend the campaign’s reach in the weeks before and after the event.
Such a campaign can include interactive experiences, games, and giveaways while mobilizing employees across social media to amplify engagement. The idea is to expand the circle of influence and reach as many audiences as possible with high-quality, standout, and unconventional content.
Ultimately, when advertising in the Super Bowl game, the medium is the message - it’s a demonstration of power and maturity at the highest level, reserved for the most successful and ambitious companies. The impact on a potential customer who sees an Israeli tech company’s message on such a unique stage is simply unparalleled. And the same for potential employees.
Fortunately, advanced technological tools and multi-layered marketing strategies allow skilled marketing executives to measure numerous campaign parameters, refine and optimize their approach, and continue extracting maximum value over time.
The Super Bowl game passes in the blink of an eye - here one moment, gone the next. But the significance and impact of an ad aired during the Super Bowl game can and should resonate for weeks, months, or even years. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s complex. And no, it’s not for everyone. But a marketing move of this scale can achieve goals that might take years to reach through other means.
Aviv Cohen is the CMO of Pentera.
