Is the NFL Becoming Too Political for Advertisers?

SMITH BRAIN TRUST – The Super Bowl has long been one of the most coveted advertising events in the United States. But in recent years, the game has taken on increasingly political overtones. It’s left some brands doing a delicate balancing act, debating whether and how to advertise during an event that consistently draws more U.S. viewers than any other television broadcast.

“It’s created a dilemma for a lot of brands out there,” says Henry C. Boyd III, clinical professor of marketing at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Actress Amy Schumer, who has appeared in commercials for Bud Light and Old Navy, says she won’t do any Super Bowl commercials this season. She announced on Instagram that she would sit this one out, in support of former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who in 2016 began taking a knee during the National Anthem to raise awareness about racial injustice and police brutality. Singer Rihanna, meanwhile, declined an offer to sing at halftime, also in support of Kaepernick, who no longer plays in the NFL.

Kaepernick filed a grievance against the league and team owners last year, accusing them of conspiring to keep him off the field amid backlash over his protest. While many considered the protest to be unpatriotic, tied as it was to the National Anthem, many others considered it to be a respectful expression of free speech.

The divide between the two sides looms large over football.

Few brands have demonstrated a willingness to take a stance, as Nike recently did in making Kaepernick a prominent face of its 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. For Nike, the choice of Kaepernick involved a calculated risk -- one that’s largely paid off -- a concerted decision to align the brand with football’s younger audiences, much of which identifies with Kaepernick, Boyd says.

“That’s what we are hearing from Millennials and the generation behind them, Generation Z. They are saying that a sense of fairness is something inherent in the notion of being American -- that you should have equal opportunity, that you should get your shot if you’ve got the talent,” Boyd says.

Other brands aren’t willing to be so bold, risking the ire of the sizable football fan base that disagrees with Kaepernick’s form of protest.

It’s a quandary for brands; consumers want to know that they stand for something, and they want to know what that something is.

Boyd says brands that are perceived as liberal-leaning -- Target, Starbucks and Nike are examples -- should own that position, whether or not they decide to advertise in the Super Bowl. Conservative-leaning brands -- such as Fox News, ExxonMobil and Chick fil-A -- should, as well. “Because there is no point now of saying, 'Well, maybe we can run to neutral ground.' You’ve already been identified in a certain space. You need to be true to it,” he says.

For brands seeking a message for the Super Bowl next year, Boyd suggests themes with universal appeal.

Unity: “There are schisms in the country. There are divisions. These are strange times, like I have never seen in our history,” Boyd says. “If the fabric is starting to tear, why not speak to unity?” 

Generosity: “One of the most patriotic and coolest things about America, is that when there are crises, we step up and we come together. We volunteer. The government doesn’t tell us to; it’s just what we do. A neighbor needs my help and I’m going to be there,” Boyd says. For example, Home Depot might produce an ad showing the community outreach in some of the places affected by recent hurricanes. “It gives you an opportunity to make your brand a positive reminder of what makes the country special,” he says.

Comedy: In terms of safe ad execution, humor is a winner. “It’s universal. Everyone loves to laugh,” Boyd says. 

Cuteness: “When you have an ad with cute kids in it, all that partisanship goes out the window,” Boyd says. Ads with animals have a similar effect. There’s a reason why Budweiser goes back to those Clydesdale horses time and time again. “We love animals.”