At a cost of up to $7 million for a 30-second spot (~same as last year) a brief stint during the big game doesn’t come cheap. And that’s before adding the cost to create the ads themselves. All together, one spot can easily run more than $20 million.

So why are the automakers, GoDaddy and other Super Bowl advertising stalwarts passing on the big game? In particular, Gen Z (one of the most targeted demographics) is not impressed by Super Bowl ads and profess a major lack of interest in broadcast TV.

Marketers know social sites like TikTok and Facebook are better platforms for delivering messages to targeted demographics. The return on investment for advertising is far easier to track and the ad spend is easier to justify – especially considering how often these ads will be shared with family and friends in a matter of seconds.

That being said, the Super Bowl is a rare event with truly mass appeal: According to the NFL, more than 60% of Americans tuned into last year’s game, that’s a lot of eyeballs.

In the end, Super Bowl TV commercials work best when they promote mass market products – through humor, use of animals, nostalgia and celebrities – as well as social causes that resonate with consumers. Linking a brand with memorable and creative storytelling is also an effective way to boost overall brand visibility.

Image in conjunction with tripleseat