Researchers of a new study found that Super Bowl advertisements sell better when they are accompanied by popular music rather than by the coolest celebrities.
Super Bowl ads make huge money and competitors are always on the lookout for ways to sell their advertisements better. Providing a little help to these advertisers, Saint Joseph's University's Haub School of Business researchers conducted a 10 year study on the impact of popular music on Super Bowl commercials.
Study author David Allan found that in 2005, popular music was used in 34.6 percent of commercials during the big game. In 2013, his research showed a number closer to 38 percent.
"Popular music and advertising have much in common," he explained in a press statement. "Both share a similar path to acceptance and notoriety."
He also found that the connection between music and advertising is so strong that Super Bowl advertisers often use popular music in their commercials to arouse an emotional response in viewers.
"They want consumers to form a bond between bands and brands," said Allan, chair and associate professor of marketing at Saint Joseph's.
He also found that popular music works better in selling commercials at the big game than popular celebrities featuring in similar advertisements. He noted that along with this, the success of a commercial also depends on the type of popular music used in the advert and how the commercial is promoted.
"Marketing is all about people," he concluded. "People are stimulated by music and oftentimes use music to craft their identities. If an advertiser hits the right note, he or she has a strong chance of making their ad memorable."
