With its long season and unrivaled popularity, football represents a massive marketing opportunity for consumer products companies. Each regular NFL game brings in an average 14.9 million viewers, and FOX is averaging 4.13 million per game for college games, on top of all those attending in person. Consumers fuel that fandom with everything from tailgating snacks and drinks to game gear to Super Bowl party décor.
of households intend to purchase groceries and/or merchandise to enhance their football viewing this season
Super Bowl weekend alone drives
47%
in consumer spending
billion
$13.9
Football messaging has long been focused on men. According to research by Villanova University professor Charles Taylor, men were featured as “principal characters” in 86% of Super Bowl ads from 2008 to 2017. He says ads are becoming less male-focused, but that transition is happening slowly.
Marketers should understand that women are watching football too, and in huge numbers.
of the NFL’s 187.3 million fans are women—the biggest portion ever
47%
Our findings reveal that when marketing to this audience, brands should treat women as the in-the-know and passionate fans they are.
Women 36-54 who are also active on social media, but tend to stick to one platform. These fans aspire to create the perfect game day experience with family and food.
Understanding Women Football Fans
Scorer
CPG
Leading
How to Become Football Season's
Stand out by marketing to football’s most overlooked fans
Women are football’s most overlooked fans
According to Ad Age, women football fans fall into two groups:
When marketing to both types of female fans, we recommend engaging them through emotion and throughout pivotal moments during the fan experience.
Women 18-34 who want to be in the moment and spend time with friends on game day. They are social-media-first, multiplatform users who are happy to share content from their favorite teams.
Women’s growing passion for football is great news for brands. That’s because women have massive purchasing power and are much more likely to be the ones shopping for many of the products that make watching football so fun, from food to beverages to party goods. With 56% of football-watching households expecting to host or attend a football tailgate or watch party this year, appealing to those doing most of the shopping is a wise move.
Women wield massive spending power
of women across the world reported controlling or sharing the daily shopping
89%
as likely to be the chief grocery shopper
2X
of women’s online pre-game tailgating conversations on social media revolve around snack options
56%
With so many households hosting football watch parties and so much of the shopping being done by women, it’s clear where brands seeking to be part of the experience should be targeting their messaging.
Those watch parties and tailgates also offer a chance for brands to gain exposure to brand new audiences that are more likely to become customers. That’s because brand loyalty is built on emotion. Discovering a new beverage or chip while enjoying a great time with friends creates positive associations that can last long after the season ends.
Women help brands spread the word
CPG companies ensuring their football marketing is inclusive of women stand to win an even greater share of this massive marketing opportunity. Football-fueled spending covers a broad array of categories.
When individuals have a positive emotional association with a brand, they are
times
of all purchasing decisions are based on word of mouth marketing—such as buying what your friends do
half
7.1
It takes a massive commitment of resources to plan and execute successful omnichannel football promotions, and brands want those dollars to do their best work. That’s why even brands running their own promotions also make Ibotta offers part of their strategy.
During Ibotta’s fall “Gametime Essentials” campaign, for example, shoppers could get cash back on tailgate essentials such as HP Hood’s Heluva Good! dip, spirits from Pernod Ricard USA, and Bars-S Foods’ Menu Del Sol taquitos. Banner ads, push notifications, and an email blast linked to the Ibotta blog, where consumers saw planning tips and recipes for gameday.
Planning Your Big Football Plays
Approximately 8.5 million impressions and a 24.84% sales lift for brands participating in the Gametime Essentials campaign.
Kellogg’s Ready. Set. Saturday sweepstakes running August 2 through March 31, 2022 awards a $10,000 grand prize so the winner can enjoy a fan cave makeover. Shoppers enter by buying participating brands and uploading their receipts, and by watching a video accessed by scanning a QR code on packaging.
Kellogg’s Cheez-It brand also held its own sweepstakes tied to December 29th’s Cheez-It Bowl, and supplemented the excitement with participation in the Gametime Essentials campaign.
Consumers can register via QR code, in-store signage, or promotional materials to play Bud Light NFL Squares. Players earn My Cooler Rewards points they can use between Sept. 1 and Jan, 30, 2022 to redeem entries for a sweepstakes to win a trip to the 2023 Super Bowl.
Regional promotions as part of the company’s NFL sponsorship include beer specials tied to local teams and a special tailgate candle designed to blend gameday scents including smoked charcoal, a new jersey, and crowded bleachers.
Check out these successful football-themed promotions:
Football’s nearly 15 million fans—47% of them women—are ready to open their wallets to enjoy the big game and share food and drink with their friends. Brands who want to be part of the fun need to make sure they’re capturing the attention of those doing all that buying. Often, that’s women.
Drive Your Football Marketing at the Big Game Day Spenders
“
”
— Ad Age
“
— Ad Age
”
Seekers:
Savers:
Source: NRF
Food/beverages
TVs
Decorations
9%
77%
Team apparel/ accessories
11%
Furniture
7%
Brands can get in on the action with a new Ibotta campaign that keeps the party going. Ibotta’s Stock Up for the Big Game campaign runs January 19 to February 13, 2022, featuring cash back offers on everything fans need for football’s biggest stages: The NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl. Major media buys stoke up the excitement and help get consumers ready for the game-watching fun.
The Result:
Kellogg’s Ready. Set. Saturday
Kellogg’s Cheez-It Bowl
Anheuser-Busch’s Super Bowl Trip Sweepstakes
50
Up to
more likely to purchase more.
Women are nearly
Beer
$1.3
billion
Wine
$597
million
Spirits
$503
million
Total Beer, Flavored Malt Beverages (FMBs) & Cider
Total Wine
Total Spirits
Craft Beer
FMBs
Cider
Table Red
Table White
Sparkling Wine
Whiskey
Vodka
Rum
Tequila
Gin
$166 million
$82 million
$16 million
$286 million
$210 million
$47 million
$182 million
$141 million
$44 million
$35 million
$16 million
Food and Drink Dominate Super Bowl Purchases
Score some extra points for your bottom line this season by teaming up with Ibotta.
Check out Stock Up for the Big Game to learn more.
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40
30
20
10
Adult Beverages
Dollar Sales During Super Bowl 2017
of consumers planned to buy snack brands they don’t normally buy for the Super Bowl in 2021
39%
Source: Statista
Source: Field Agent
Source: National Retail Federation
Source: IRI
Sources: Wall Street Journal and Sports Media Watch
Source: Vinanova University
Source: CNBC
Source: Ad Age
Source: Field Agent
Source: Catalyst
Source: Civic Science
Source: Inmar Intelligence
Source: Experience Matters
Source: News Chant
Source: Ibotta
42%
Nachos
Pizza
Chicken Wings
Chips and dip
Favorite Foods for Super Bowl Celebrations
Soft Drinks (Regular/Diet)
Bottled Water
Potato Chips
$278
million
$348
million
$979
million
Tortilla Chips
$224
million
Frozen Pizza
$198
million
Meat Snacks
$100
million
Popcorn
$86
million
Cheese Snacks
$74
million
Salty Snack Dips
$39
million
Packaged grocery
Dollar Sales During Super Bowl 2017
5%
Cheese and crackers
Burgers/
sliders
Cookies
Ice Cream
Mozzarella
sticks
Tacos
37%
31%
21%
23%
15%
14%
12%
11%
10%
1
Those
watching the Super Bowl expect to spend
$74.55
on average
billion total
$13.9