Activations and Adjacent Ads Capitalize on Super Bowl Buzz

Having an ad during the Super Bowl broadcast costs a lot of money. Aside from the $7 million for a 30-second ad buy, there are huge production costs and, most likely, a big celebrity fee on top.

Many brands are opting out of the game in favor of being somewhere around it. Pre-Super Bowl campaigns can generate buzz, while experiences, parties and activations can target a coveted demographic while having a buzzy social media effect.

Adweek has compiled some of this year’s Super Bowl-adjacent campaigns, from big brand activations to celebrity-led parties. We will add to this list as more campaigns are released, so check back often.

Tums

The antacid brand recruited Desus Nice as the official Tums Prop Bites Taster, where he dishes out all the hot takes on how to cash in on a savory opportunity. Tums Prop Bites is a platform where fans can make their free food picks and see how they stack up against the rest of the nation for a shot to win cash prizes. It’s free to play, and Tums and DraftKings are giving away a share of $10,000 to lucky winners. Visit TUMSPropBites.com from now through Feb. 11. In addition, there will be a live event in Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend, Tums Prop Bites Food Casino, at Circa Stadium Swim on Feb. 9, where guests can play free games for a shot at prizes, including limited-edition Tums merch and products.

Medium Rare Productions

Events agency Medium Rare is putting on four separate events Super Bowl weekend, each featuring music, food and plenty of stars.

The events—Shaq’s Fun House, Gronk Beach, SI The Party and Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate—are proven pop-ups that have cemented Medium Rare’s place as the second biggest producer at the Super Bowl outside of the NFL.