XLIX: Year of the #EmotionBowl

Emotions run high on the field and in commercials, but comedy is still king

Today we announced TiVo’s top commercials and moments from Super Bowl® XLIX, and while “Deflategate” may have dominated much of the talk leading up to the game, the recurring theme of comedy lost no air – despite the emotional spots attracting attention.

This year there were more serious, dramatic and sentimental spots than in previous Super Bowl broadcasts – including Budweiser’s ‘Lost Dog’ that won the top spot – but overall, comedy came through again with five of the top 10 spots having comedic appeal. This year, a public service announcement (PSA) ranked second among the top spots.

The top ten commercials and promotions from Super Bowl XLIX according to TiVo:

1. Budweiser – ‘Lost Dog’ (Song by Sleeping at Last)
2. Joyful Heart Foundation – ‘911 Delivery’
3. Doritos – ‘Middle Seat’
4. Nationwide Insurance – ‘Invisible Mindy Kaling’
5. Supercell: Clash of Clans – ‘Revenge’ Feat with Liam Neeson
6. FIAT 500X – ‘Blue Pill’
7. Snickers – ‘The Brady Bunch’ featuring Danny Trejo
8. Avocados From Mexico – ‘First Draft Ever’
9. Coca-Cola: #MakeItHappy
10. Nissan – ‘With Dad’ (Song by Harry Chapin)

Super Bowl XLIX versus Super Bowl XLVIII by the numbers:

• There were only three beer spots in this year’s game, half the number aired in the previous two years
• There were five insurance spots, the combined total of the three prior Super Bowls
• There were ten movie spots — more than in the past two years combined (see list below)
• NBC aired 27 promos, 27, to the Fox count, 28, in 2014
• NBC aired 23 sixty second spots, compared with 20 for Fox last year
• This year’s Super Bowl was a full 40 minutes longer than last year’s Seahawks blowout of the Denver Broncos

For the fifth year in a row, TiVo found viewership for the half-time show exceeding that of the overall game. Katy Perry did not disappoint, as the entire show was a jaw-dropping performance with superstar guest appearances. From fireworks inside and out of the stadium to Perry being suspended on a shooting star, Perry’s performance kept eyes glued to the television.

The top re-watched moments from the game itself were (1) 10:04 p.m. ET the fight in the final seconds of the game, (2) 10:00 p.m. ET Tom Brady and Richard Sherman’s reaction to Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception and (3) 9:56 p.m. ET Jermaine Kearse’s crazy catch.

TiVo has been tracking and releasing its unique Super Bowl data for over a decade. Analysis of the past most-engaging advertisements and promotions with viewers shows that many have been comedy-based. The top commercials of past Super Bowls include the following:

• 2004: Anheuser-Busch (Bud Light) – “Sleigh Ride”
• 2005: Emerald Nuts – “Unicorn”
• 2006: Ameriquest – “Friendly Skies”
• 2007: Anheuser-Busch (Bud Light) – “Language Course with Carlos Mencia”
• 2008: E*Trade – “Baby”
• 2009: GoDaddy.com – “Enhanced?”
• 2010: Doritos – “House Rules”
• 2011: Snickers – “Logging”
• 2012: Dorito’s – “Sling Baby”
• 2013: Taco Bell’s – “Viva Young”
• 2014:  Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (Halftime)

The Super Bowl commercials can be viewed via your TiVo unit in the Super Bowl Commercials Collection. To the find the collection, click Browse TV & Movies and then click on the New & Notable category.

To view the Super Bowl commercials online, visit iSpot.tv, the only platform to track TV ads correlated with digital responses in real time.

Methodology
TiVo Research’s Super Bowl analysis was prepared using aggregated, anonymous, second-by-second audience measurement data from a sample of approximately 30,000 anonymous households with the Emmy®-award winning TiVo® service. TiVo Research gauges the interest in programming content by measuring the percentage of the TiVo audience watching in “play” speed. The most engaging ads and promotions are determined by looking for spots with the biggest bump in viewership relative to the surrounding 15 minutes of programming, offering a true reflection of change in viewership.

TiVo is neither an affiliate nor a sponsor of the National Football League, and the National Football League does not endorse TiVo products or services.