Technically Speaking: What Is a Super Bowl Ad?

According to the advertising trades and some business publications, the term “Super Bowl ad” is reserved only for those ads that run between kickoff and the end of game on the primary feed of whichever broadcast network is carrying the game in the U.S. For Super Bowl LX, that means the expensive ones running nationally on NBC.

Consumers, however, have a much looser definition and tend to include local, regional, and streaming-only ads, as well as some pre-game and post-game ads. If it’s near the game and feels like a Super Bowl ad, regular viewers will likely consider it one.

Marketers who can’t or don’t want to make the investment in a national buy — or who only want to hit a very specific demographic — can explore some of these alternate options and still be credited with running a “Super Bowl ad” if consumers treat it that way.

According to AdAge, Garage Beer will be running a “Super Bowl ad” in the Philadelphia market during the game. Because it’s directly playing off Budweiser’s Big Game ad, expect it to garner a lot of press and social chatter.