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Marketers must embrace the art of political communications, financial discretion and deep insights into their consumers

By: Mark Penn. Published on June 09, 2022

The temperature isn’t the only thing heating up this summer. The next few months promise to be chock-full of potentially divisive issues for corporations as the midterm elections accelerate, the Supreme Court prepares opinions and Congress mobilizes on some of the most hotly contested issues of our age: the 2nd amendment, abortion rights, freedom of speech and more. In the private sector, Elon Musk is taking over Twitter (maybe?), forcing a new chapter in the free speech debate, and the enduring fallout from the Russia-Ukraine conflict promises to refocus how brands tackle geopolitical conflict.

In short, summer 2022 will be a pressure cooker for brands and politics—all happening against the backdrop of bitter partisanship with the two parties duking it out for legislative supremacy in the midterms. What does this mean for you? It means that one group or another is very likely to come knocking and asking you to take their side on these hot-button issues. Sometimes they will add an “or else” to the request. Often it will be an employee petition.

It is clear, especially if you offer a mass-market product, that how you respond may literally determine billions of dollars in revenue and reputation, with the potential to be far more important to the company than its entire marketing spend. While there are some notable exceptions, many times businesses that have forayed into politics have split their consumer bases, cost the company significant points in brand image and plopped them dead center in the middle of big controversies. So how best to navigate today’s environment?

Take a position–if it’s close to your business

First, the closer the issue is to what the company does, the more important it is for the company to take a position. For example, you would expect Boeing to take a position on new regulations that limit commercial airflights because of climate change. The farther removed from what the company does, and that company’s expertise, the more red lights should flash as it considers speaking out. Sometimes there is a safe middle ground. On abortion, for example, offering travel benefits for those seeking an abortion if they wind up in a heavily restricted state is probably a safe response to any abortion ruling because it puts all your employees on an equal footing.

Helping the planet, teaching kids how to read and assisting the community with healthcare are seen as consistent with good company values—as opposed to wading into the mix of the political issues that will be front and center in the midterm elections. Activities predicated on simply “doing good” will always work for almost any company. But that is no defense to employees who want the company to take a strong position on political issues that are more the arena of midterm debates than boardroom conversations.

Assemble a balanced team of consultants

My basic recommendation on how to handle these issues is to have a process in place that rigorously studies all the potential positions your brand can take on the issue. Use research to see what employees, consumers and shareholders think about the issue and your role in it. Assemble a team of a bipartisan consultants—a Democrat, a Republican and a financial communications expert are ideal—to study this and make joint, across-the-aisle recommendations. That is the key to gaining a fair understanding of the potential impact taking a position can have on a business and its stakeholders—both internal and external. In the art of politics, every word counts and often those in business may miss the nuances of political communications. At the same time, relying on experts from just one side of the aisle is a common mistake brands will make. Those consultants will tell you “It’s gonna be great”—and it will be, for the half of your consumer base they represent, while the other half might start throwing your products out of the window.

If you look at the Axios-Harris Poll 100 or the Edelman Trust Barometer—two of the leading indices for corporate reputation—both reported this year that direct involvement in political issues that weren’t explicitly related to a company’s core services proved to be risky business, dragging otherwise “friendly” brands into the din of political discourse. Many of those companies who jumped headlong into furious political debates faced serious setbacks in their ratings with consumers.

Be consistent in your values

What is clear is that consumers are looking for consistency in values. And looking under the hood of recent brand foibles on purpose, the stroke of death is rarely the voicing of an opinion, but that opinion being incongruous with a brand’s stated purpose, key demographics or product alignment. As John Gerzema, co-chair of the Harris Poll, said, “Disney’s about-face shows the reputational hit that comes when the public perceives you as being calculating rather than clear in what you believe in and stand for.” Brands including Nike and Patagonia are clear and consistent in their views and those views have become a core element of their product offerings; this is quite different from the rushed, scattershot positions some CEOs have rushed to put out each time a new issue arises.

It’ll take attunement to the art of political communications, financial discretion and deep insights into your consumers and how they relate to your brand’s stated values to navigate what promises to be a minefield of political pitfalls this summer.

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Assembly on July 12, 2022

Our 2022 report takes a magnifying glass to global luxury brand engagement in China, delivering four key consumer and market trends at the intersection of technology, culture, and brand experience.

Hot off the press – Assembly is back with its much-anticipated global luxury brand reports. In 2022, we release a first-of-its kind-installment, focused on the market quickly becoming the most critical for luxury brands worldwide: China.

Download your copy of: LUXE IN CHINA – New Horizons for Luxury Brands

In 2020, it was reported that by the year 2025, China will contribute to half of all luxury goods purchases worldwide. Two years later and that trajectory is very much on track, as experts expect China to take its place as the world’s largest luxury personal goods market within the next three years.

Not only are the trends we see in this market relevant to the brands seeking to win the hearts and minds of Chinese consumers – but they also point towards luxury’s future place in the lifestyles of up-and-coming generations around the world.  Where China leads in technological advances and innovation and bold, new experiences, others often follow.

In the 2022 report, we look at four key defining trends, with insight and examples of successful implementation and transformation done by global brands in the Chinese market:

Emerging Media Formats

Our Future in the Metaverse 

The Evolution of Offline Immersive Experiences 

New Consumer Engagement Beyond Brand 

Get your copy today.

We also look at media investment trends across key luxury categories, as a signal of the continued digitalization of luxe brand experiences.

While challenging economic conditions and the continued effects of COVID are felt by all, luxury brands are creating vibrant, truly culture-defining moments to create closer connections with luxe consumers.

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“People are a company’s most significant competitive advantage and advancing an impactful people strategy is dynamic, ever-evolving, and incredibly rewarding work,” said Swisher. “The leadership team at NRG is passionate about creating a new standard for how businesses support their employees – allowing them to be true to themselves, do their best work, and make a valuable impact. Joining NRG was the perfect next step in my journey and an opportunity I had to be a part of.”

Swisher is an industry veteran with nearly 15 years of experience working in human resources and people operations, most recently serving as Executive Vice President, People Operations at the technology media company BrightTALK. There, she developed and led people strategy for a global workforce of 300 employees to elevate engagement and retention, accelerate productivity and performance, and deliver on business goals. Before BrightTALK, she held similar roles at the retail giant Target as well as Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.

“Jenny is a charismatic, empathetic and compassionate leader, with a strong track record of creating dynamic teams united by a values-driven culture,” said Jon Penn, CEO, National Research Group. “She empowers employees to do their best work by being their best selves. We’re thrilled to have her supercharge our commitment to making NRG the employer of choice for smart, ambitious people everywhere.”

Swisher received a business administration, marketing degree from University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business. She will be based in NRG’s Los Angeles office.

National Research Group is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the intersection of entertainment and technology. Rooted in four decades of industry expertise, the world’s leading marketers turn to us for insights into growth and strategy for any content, anywhere, on any device. Working at the confluence of content, culture and technology, NRG offers insights for bold storytellers everywhere. To learn more, please visit www.nationalresearchgroup.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 12,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

For NRG:
Mary Moczula
mary.moczula@nrgmr.com

For Stagwell:
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com

SOURCE Stagwell Inc.

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Mark Penn

FEATURING

It is my pleasure to bring you the findings our latest Harvard CAPS / Harris poll just before the long weekend. The survey was fielded among 1,308 registered voters earlier this week between June 28-29, 2022. (Link to the full poll here).

The country’s mood continues to worsen – “wrong track” metrics about the direction of the country (70% say we are on the wrong track) and the direction of the economy (71% wrong track) are the worst they have ever been in our poll, surpassing even the onset of the pandemic. Today 64% of voters indicate that their financial situation is getting worse, a figure almost double from the initial stage of the pandemic.

Biden’s re-election chances sink lower – his approval in June is at 38%, tied for the lowest it has ever been. Only 40% of voters today think Biden is mentally fit to serve as president (down from 48% one month ago), and 64% say he’s showing he is too old. Only a third of the Democratic base would support him in a presidential primary (though he leads the pack, this is still a very low figure of support for an incumbent).

Importantly, voters are asking for change — 71% of all voters do not want Biden to run for reelection and the plurality say it’s because he is a bad president. Similarly , 61% do not want Trump to run in 2024 either and they are largely divided as to why, with a third each saying Trump is erratic, he will divide America, and he’s responsible for Jan 6th. This observed aversion to the former and current president means a major opening for an independent presidential ticket – 60% would consider voting for a moderate independent candidate for president if Biden and Trump both ran.

Voters remain divided on whether Trump incited or encouraged the Jan 6th riots, but are leaning slightly towards saying ‘Yes’. Note that this is a highly partisan issue with deep partisan breaks. Further, while voters believe the commission hearings are harming Trump politically, a small majority remain concerned that the commission’s work is biased, that it is having the effect of dividing Americans further, and that it will be used to silence voices on the right.

Finally on SCOTUS’s decision to repeal Roe vs. Wade – 55% oppose the decision; 69% believe SCOTUS’ decision has created turmoil; however, a plurality believe abortion standards should be set by state legislatures (44%) compared to a Congressional vote (31%) or SCOTUS itself (25%). And despite the decision, 63% of voters view the court as legitimate and 59% believe it is wrong for democrats to call the court illegitimate.

Lastly, it looks like abortion may not have a major impact on midterm elections – voters are just as likely to vote Dem as they are GOP given the split nature of this issue.

These and more are covered in our monthly canvas of what America’s thinking on the hot issues of the day. As always feel free to reach out with questions and follow my podcast about the poll at www.MARKPENNPOLLS.com (full episode) or any of the following channels: @iHeartRadio, @ApplePodcasts, @Spotify, @Stitcher,@Google, @SoundCloud, @RadioPublic, @Tunein, @Castbox_fm, @Overcast, @Castro.

-Mark

Originally released on

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Beth Sidhu
pr@stagwellglobal.com
202-423-4414

New Partnership Gives Harris Poll Clients Access to PRophet’s AI-Driven PR Software to Inform Survey Design and Maximize Press Coverage of Research Results

NEW YORK – June 15, 2022 – PRophet, the first-ever AI-driven PR pitch platform built by and for PR professionals that predicts media interest and sentiment, today announced a partnership with leading global market research and consulting firm, The Harris Poll, that will maximize results for Harris clients and provide access to PRophet’s innovative platform. Both firms sit within Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing.

Through this partnership, Harris Poll clients will receive access to the innovative PRophet software platform to test the “mediability” of their research before conducting survey field work, to confirm the data they seek will in fact be of interest to journalists. Upon survey completion, Harris clients can then use PRophet’s machine learning and natural language processing technology to test the news angle of their poll to identify the journalists most likely to cover their story and predict how positively they’d write about the results.

“For nearly two years, PRophet’s focus has remained exclusively on improving the earned media performance of PR professionals. We do this by making teams smarter and more performative, slashing countless hours that brands and agency teams spend on mindless tasks such as media list building and patchwork PR pitch guessing games,” said Aaron Kwittken, founder and CEO, PRophet. “We are thrilled to now bring our predictive technology to support the construction and execution of the critical research completed by those same brands and agencies in conjunction with the highly acclaimed, global research leader, The Harris Poll.”

Clients of The Harris Poll will receive and maintain access to the PRophet platform through completion of the marketing efforts around the poll’s results.  Clients will then have the option to extend their access to the platform via PRophet’s monthly pay-as-you-go subscription or through an enterprise subscription available to brands and agencies.

“PRophet is a first-class PR performance platform that will help our clients optimize the design of their thought leadership surveys and improve internal media strategies that lead to even greater performance of their PR campaigns,” said Erica Parker, Managing Director of the Media Communications Research Practice at The Harris Poll. “Journalist interest will always be an essential part of every thought leadership project, as it bridges the critical gap between content owner and visibility among critical stakeholders, including the public. Our partnership with PRophet will lead to even more compelling surveys for our clients while helping them perfect their media outreach.”

PRophet is part of the Stagwell Marketing Cloud, a suite of technology products that support in-house marketing transformation for modern businesses. To learn more about PRophet, please visit www.prprophet.ai or email sales@prprophet.ai to schedule a demo. Learn how Harris’ Media Communications Research Practice can help you own and tell your story in our constantly evolving media landscape at theharrispoll.com/solutions/harris-custom-research. For more information on the Stagwell Marketing Cloud, reach out to hello@stagwellglobal.com.

About PRophet

PRophet is the first-ever A.I.-driven data-as-a-service (DaaS) platform designed by and for the PR community. The platform helps earned media professionals use data to land more media placements by analyzing past stories to predict future media interest and sentiment using natural language processing and machine learning. Founded by PR and marketing industry thought leader and entrepreneur Aaron Kwittken, and launched in 2020, PRophet is part the Stagwell Marketing Cloud. It’s available to agencies, brands and individuals through an enterprise license or a monthly pay-as-you-go plan. To learn more, visit prprophet.ai.

About The Harris Poll

The Harris Poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., tracking public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963. The Media Communications Research Practice supports the full scope of clients’ data-driven communications strategy, including paid, earned, social and owned media. Whether the goal is to own and tell their own story through thought leadership research, to measure what the public thinks or knows through public opinion polling, or to influence the policy and legislative agenda by taking a public affairs lens, our consultants guide the research and analysis process, from discovering a unique space a client can own through supporting the full range of outreach activities.

About Stagwell Inc.
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 12,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

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NEW YORK, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Grocery stores are riding reputational highs two years after the start of COVID-19 – with regional chains in particular being recognized for weathering the supply-chain storm. At the same time, the pandemic-era halo many industries enjoyed are beginning to normalize.

Those are among the insights of the Axios-Harris Poll 100, an annual ranking of the reputations of the most visible U.S. companies, which was released today.

Trader Joe’s, HEB Grocery, Patagonia, Hershey and Wegmans have the top-five best reputations in America on the 2022 Axios-Harris Poll 100 list.

Social media platforms and companies with missteps on social issues are the ones with the poorest reputations or that suffered the steepest declines. This year, The Trump Organization, Wish.com, Twitter, Facebook and Fox Corporation are at the bottom of the 23^rd annual list, with poor reputations.

“As Americans move on from COVID, they are looking at corporate reputation through a more practical lens,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll. “Companies delivering on time and keeping their promises despite supply-chain issues are being held in high regard. Businesses that also do their part to create a better world – whether through sustainability or taking a stand on authentic social issues – also are being rewarded.”

The Axios-Harris Poll 100 has ranked reputation since 1999. The survey’s Reputation Quotient (RQ) ranking is based on companies that are most visible to the general population and on their performance in seven key areas:

• Trust – “Is this a company I trust?”
• Vision – “Does this company have a clear vision for the future?”
• Growth – “Is this a growing company?”
• Products and Services – “Does this company develop innovative products and services that I want and value?”
• Culture – “Is this a good company to work for?”
• Ethics – “Does this company maintain high ethical standards?”
• Citizenship – “Does this company share my values and support good causes?”

“It’s back to basics with companies that offer quality products and are guided by steadfast values riding to the top,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. “Those that became enmeshed in political quagmires tended to be set back.”

This year, grocery dominates the top 100 list. Three grocers (Trader Joe’s, HEB Grocery and Wegmans) are in the top five. Two other grocery chains (Publix and Kroger) are among the top 25.

“The poll reinforces what we have seen on the ground with our local news product Axios Local,” said Jim VandeHei, co-founder and CEO of Axios. “To reestablish trust with a skeptical population, you have to start closer to home, making a real impact within local communities. Consumers reward brands that deliver a trusted product on time and as promised.”

Among the insights from this year’s study:

• Most visible: Amazon and Walmart are once again the two most visible companies in America, followed by Apple, Facebook, Google, Target, Nike, Microsoft, McDonald’s and AT&T.
• New to the list: Newly added to the 100 most visible companies list for the first time ever are Trader Joe’s, Spotify, Big Lots, Shein and Subway.
• Top 10: The most visible and most reputable companies – Trader Joe’s, HEB Grocery, Patagonia, Hershey, Wegmans, Samsung, Toyota, Amazon and Honda – are separated by only small degrees. All but Patagonia and Honda improved their reputations from last year’s highs.
• Industry movement: As the world moves out of the crisis phase of the pandemic, industries that saw massive reputations boosted by the crisis have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Consumer products dropped 12 points from 2021, returning to 2019 levels (2022: 62% positive, 2021: 74%, 2019: 61%). Meanwhile, while the halo surrounding the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries is fading, both remain significantly above pre-pandemic levels (pharma 2022: 49% positive, 2021: 60%, 2019: 31%) and (health insurance 2022: 49% positive, 2021: 60%, 2019: 32%).
• Perils of speaking out, or not: The economic and reputational loss from polarization hit companies once immune to politics and controversy. Disney fell significantly from last year – with the impact of being caught in a fight between politics and company values. Patagonia – which was number one on the list last year – continues its reputational high with great products combined with a strong societal view.
• Biggest improvements: Companies with at least a good reputation and the strong year-over-year improvement include AT&T (up 6.3%), Google (6.1%), Starbucks (6.0%), Yum! Brands (5.4%), General Motors (4.7%) and The Home Depot (4.5%)
• Biggest declines: Companies with the biggest reputational declines from last year include Stellantis (down 8.0%), Twitter (-4.9%), Pfizer (-4.7%), Disney (-4.3%), Trump Organization (-4.3%), Chick-fil-A (-3.7%), PepsiCo (-3.5%), eBay (-3.3%), ExxonMobil (-3.3%) and Electronic Arts (-3.2%).

“To excel at reputation, companies must deliver high marks on business performance, corporate character and trust,” said Ray Day, vice chair of Stagwell, which includes The Harris Poll. “While you can build a brand, you earn a reputation. Companies with strong reputations have a price advantage, a competitive advantage and a talent advantage. That’s why reputation needs to be a priority from the board room to the C-suite.”

The Axios Harris Poll 100 is based on a survey of 33,096 Americans in a nationally representative sample conducted March 11-April 3, 2022. The two-step process starts fresh each year by surveying the public’s top-of-mind awareness of companies that either excel or falter. These 100 “most visible companies” are then ranked by a second group of Americans across the seven key dimensions of reputation to arrive at the ranking. If a company is not on the list, it did not reach a critical level of visibility to be measured.

For information on all companies and their ranking on the 2022 Axios-Harris Poll 100, click here and here for an interactive graphic.

About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., tracking public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963. It is now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that delivers social intelligence for transformational times. We work with clients in three primary areas: building 21^st century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. Our mission is to provide insights and advisory to help leaders make the best decisions possible. Learn more by visiting www.harrispoll.com and follow Harris Poll on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Axios
Axios is a digital media company launched in 2017. Axios – which means “worthy” in Greek – helps you become smarter, faster with news and information across politics, tech, business, media, science and the world. Subscribe to our newsletters at axios.com/newsletters and download our mobile app at axios.com/app.

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com. 

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Stagwell Insights

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Today’s businesses have more reputational capital than ever before. When reputation is managed, it has the potential to add business value and mitigate risks. Stagwell annually produces the Reputation Quotient, the industry’s leading barometer of American corporate reputation, in partnership with Axios and The Harris Poll to uncover insights which brands are gaining or losing reputational capital – and the expectations of a new generation of reputation-minded consumers.  

The Axios Harris Poll 100 is a trusted ranking of the reputations of the companies most on the minds of Americans using a framework Harris has used since 1999. Download the 22nd Annual Reputation Quotient Study report to view the full rankings and gain additional insights about performance year over year. 

Register to receive our 2022 research – set to release in late May – using this form. Reach out to hello@stagwellglobal.com if you have questions. 

Methodology:  

The Axios Harris Poll 100 is based on a survey of 42,935 Americans in a nationally representative sample. The two-step process starts fresh each year by surveying the public’s top-of-mind awareness of companies that either excel or falter in society. These 100 “most visible companies” are then rated by a second group of Americans across the seven key dimensions of reputation to determine the ranking. If a company is not on the list, it did not reach a critical level of visibility to be measured. 

Originally released on

LOS ANGELES, March 22, 2022 – National Research Group (NRG), recognized as an insights leader at the edge of technology, content and culture, today announced Grady Miller, head of consumer insights at Apple TV+, as its Chief Marketing Officer. He will run the company’s global marketing, strategic communications, and thought leadership functions. National Research Group is a firm within Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the global challenger network built to transform marketing.

This marks Miller’s return to NRG, where he was most recently Vice President of Strategy in 2019. Then, he helped grow the business firmwide and led assignments with top content, technology, and media companies. In his new role, Miller will oversee the direction of NRG’s client engagement, content marketing, and media outreach. He will also oversee NRG’s thought leadership strategy, answering the questions that matter most to world-class creators, rising disruptors, and big tech firms.

“NRG’s singular expertise has never been more relevant to understanding what is next in culture. That’s why I’m so excited to be rejoining NRG at this pivotal moment. As we harness our vast knowledge of the consumer, NRG is further shaping the conversation around the future of content, tech, and media.” said Miller. “Our expanding data-driven reporting will create unique value for our clients that can fuel their innovation and creativity.”

Miller is an insights and analytics executive who comes to NRG after serving as the Global Research Lead for Apple TV+ since the launch of the video streaming subscription service in 2019. He established and built the group responsible for leveraging consumer insights across Apple TV+, where his team helped guide platform development, programming, and marketing.

“We are delighted to welcome our friend Grady back to NRG,” said Jon Penn, CEO, National Research Group. “Grady is a rare leader who is equal parts creator, counselor and researcher. His vision for seeing what’s next in our culture matched with his uncanny insight into content and technology trends will super charge our marketing to new heights.”

Miller initially joined NRG in 2016 following roles in film development and production at Sony Pictures Entertainment and at research agency Penn Schoen Berland. Miller has sat on the board of Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the American Jewish World Service. Miller received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. He will be based in NRG’s Los Angeles office.

About National Research Group (NRG): NRG is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the intersection of entertainment and technology. Rooted in four decades of industry expertise, the world’s leading marketers turn to us for insights into growth and strategy for any content, anywhere, on any device. Working at the confluence of content, culture and technology, NRG offers insights for bold storytellers everywhere.

About Stagwell

Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

Contact:

Jordan Yates
818-388-7924
jordan@globalsitroom.com

For realtime insights, follow us on LinkedIn

A roundup of Stagwell’s work at Super Bowl 2022:

• Captain Morgan
• Cenex
• CUE Health
• Expedia
• Groupon
• Likemeat
• Got Milk?
• NFL
• Polestar
• Quest Oculus for Meta
• Tillamook
• Vroom

Stagwell’s agencies are transforming marketing – on one of the most captive fields for national marketing, the Super Bowl. Several of our agencies are showing up at the Big Game this year: Anomaly for Meta, Vroom and Expedia; 72andSunny for the NFL; Forsman & Bodenfors for Polestar; and more. Off the TV screen, our agencies are innovating with omnichannel efforts that tap into the fever and fandom of the big game to drive powerful consumer moments for their brand partners.

We believe that there’s a new definition of success for advertisers at the Super Bowl, and it’s driven by digital transformation and changing consumer expectations around brands and experiences. Stagwell is leading the charge in supporting brands as they navigate this new dynamic – explore Stagwell’s presence at The Game, both traditional and less so, below.

But before you dive in:

• How Digital Marketing is Changing the Big Game Playbook
• We Asked Stagwell’s Global Leaders: Does the Super Bowl Matter?

Captain Morgan x Anomaly

Captain Morgan’s high-tech punch bowl syncs with real-time game data to keep fans in the loop, even when they’re getting a refill.

Meet the Super Bowl snack table addition you never knew you needed: the Captain Morgan Super Bowl Punch Bowl. Anomaly worked with the Captain Morgan team to bring to life the bowl, featuring stadium-inspired lights and sound, Bluetooth speakers, subwoofers and LED graphic equalizers that sync with real-time game data to create an immersive brand experience.

Plus, don’t miss it’s apperance on Jimmy Fallon.

Cenex x Colle McVoy

Colle McVoy created a new campaign for Cenex that celebrates the quirky, charming and often humorous moments of connection that people experience at their local convenience stores. The campaign shows how its 1,500 locations in 19 states power communities while helping to connect people. It’s the next evolution of the brand’s successful Powered Locally platform and includes six :15 spots, two debuting in a few weeks during Super Bowl 56 in 20 Midwest regional markets.

Crosstown Rivals (premiering 2/13/22) 

Local Entertainment (premiering 2/13/22) 

CUE Health x Doner

Like COVID itself, at home testing company CUE is quick to adapt, putting together a spot in just eight days with Doner. Voiced by Gal Gadot, the ad positions the smart at home testing technology in conversation with a family’s other smart home devices – just another addition to the growing suite of at technologies that keep us safe, run more efficiently, and provide peace of mind. And while COVID is top of mind now, CUE promises that they’re just getting started.

How COVID Testing Brand CUE Put Together a Super Bowl Ad in 8 Days (AdAge)

Expedia x Anomaly

Ewan McGregor gives a convincing plug for the power of experiences over ‘stuff’

As the travel industry looks to continue to gain footing and recover from COVID-drivel losses, Expedia is leading the pack in its commitment to the Big Game with a spot created by Anomaly. With an emphasis on experiences over things, the spot aims to redefine the relationship between the platform and its customers, while challenging the expectations that travelers may have for Expedia and its sister brand, Vrbo.

‘Ewan McGregor and Expedia have Teamed Up to Give Away Free ‘Trips’ on Super Bowl Sunday’ (Forbes)

‘Why the 2022 Super Bowl Makes Sense for Brands’ (AdAge)

‘Can Super Bowl Ads Make Expedia Group the Nike of Travel?’ (AdWeek)

Groupon x Allison+Partners

Gronk is getting out of town… and opening his hope to one lucky winner for the experience  of the lifetime.

Allison+Partners led PR for Groupon’s “Party Like a Player” Super Bowl sweepstakes campaign featuring Rob Gronkowski that underscored the brand’s positioning as the go-to experience marketplace. The team secured coverage in USA Today, TMZ Sports, ABC Audio, Travel + Leisure and many more resulting in 3.7B impressions (and counting) in its first week. 

LikeMeat x 72andSunny

LikeMeat is celebrating the Big Game with a TikTok scavenger hunt, created by 72andSunny and Blue Hour Studios. To promote its plant-based Chick’n Wings product launch, LikeMeat has invited TikTok users to hunt for digital clues that crack a secret code. Those who unlock the code have a chance to win two free tickets to the Super Bowl as well as other LikeMeat-branded prizes.  It’s yet another example of brands going digital-first for the big day, eschewing traditional spots for lower-budget, higher impact activations to connect with their audiences.

Why a plant-based food company started the first TikTok scavenger hunt featuring Gronk just in time for the Super Bowl (Digiday)

Got Milk? x GALE

The milk industry is making a statement at this year’s Super Bowl – that what you’re seeing on the field is not the whole picture. Their spot, airing on the NFL Network and created by GALE, is an inclusive look at the power of women in sport, even (and especially) where they aren’t expected. Featuring women from across the Women’s Football Alliance, the tagline “Football is Football” encourages a broader look at the game and the powerful changemakers behind it.

NFL x 72andSunny

After topping the USA Today Ad Meter last year, 72andSunny + NFL are returning to the screens this year just before halftime with another spot that aims to capture the magic, legacy and power of the game. Featuring cutting edge puppetry and CGI technology from experts at Swaybox, the ad features legendary NFL talent in unexpected places and spaces – bringing the game right into viewers homes. Get ready to bring down the house.

‘NFL Super Bowl LVI Commercial || Behind The Scenes Film‘ (YouTube)

”They Will Be Blown Away’: NFL’s Next Step in  ‘Future-Proofing’ Audience Begins with a Super Bowl Ad’ (USA Today)

‘Behind the NFL’s Super Bowl Ad Plans, Which Include Puppetry and CGI’ (AdAge)

Polestar x Forsman & Bodenfors

In it’s first Super Bowl ad, Polestar, the high-end EV company with roots in Sweden, joined a spate of automakers – with a very different approach. The minimalist 30-second spot, executed by F&B, places a focus on what it doesn’t have – gimmicks, punchlines, scandals and distractions. It’s all about the future, driven by electric.

‘Swedish EV Startup Polestar Makes Super Bowl Debut with a “No Cliche” Approach’ (Ad Age)

Quest Oculus for Meta x Anomaly

In it’s first Super Bowl as the newly-rebranded Meta, Oculus Quest is doubling down on the metaverse, with a clear message to the audience – the metaverse is already here, and we’re waiting for you. The full spot, created by Anomaly and premiered on Good Morning America on Feb. 10, shows a metaverse in full swing – including a very-real post-game concert that will be headlined by the Foo Fighters. Its giving people a reason to visit the virtual reality world Meta is building – and pulling viewers into the future they are creating.

‘Inside Meta’s Super Bowl Commercial for the Metaverse’ (AdAge)

‘Meta’s Super Bowl Commerical Depicts Old Brand’s New Life in the Metaverse’ (AdAge)

Tillamook x 72andSunny

72andSunny created a shoppable, digital only music video, Chedderbration to mark National Cheddar Day coinciding with the Super Bowl. The multimedium campaign includes limited edition merch, unique cheddar-based recipes, and coupons accessible only through the Cheddarbration homepage.

Vroom x Anomaly

Vroom’s Super Bowl 2022 commercial sings the praises of a reliable broker – literally

Anomaly makes a return Super Bowl appearance with Vroom, the online car retailer who is literally singing the praises of having a reliable dealer on your side during the car selling process.  The 30 second spot again features high-tempo choreography from celebrity choreograper Mandy Moore.

‘Vroom Releases Super Bowl 56 Ad ‘Flake: The Musical” (AdAge)