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How the Creator Economy Impacted The Super Bowl in 2024 and What to Expect in 2025

The Super Bowl and the Creator Economy

The Super Bowl has become more than just a game, it has become a battleground for brands to maximize reach, and influencer marketing has become an effective tool for brands to maximize impact. With record-breaking TV viewership of 123.4 million, the real MVPs were the brands that harnessed the power of social media and influencers to extend their reach beyond the big game. Here’s a recap of the key influencer marketing takeaways we witnessed from Super Bowl LVIII and what they signal for Super Bowl LIX in 2025.

Social Media Dominates the Conversation

While TV ratings soared, social media engagement eclipsed traditional viewership numbers. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #SuperBowl generated 2 billion views in the week leading up to the game, with team-specific hashtags like #Chiefs and #49ers surpassing total Super Bowl viewership by over five times. This confirms that while the game itself is a momentous event, the pre-game buzz and social conversations are where brands can capture massive audiences.

Super Bowl TikTok Views

The Power of Influencer-First Campaigns

Brands that prioritized social media-first strategies saw significantly higher engagement and positive sentiment compared to traditional ad-only approaches. Notable successes included:

  • Lindt: Partnering with influencer Kylie Kelce, Lindt’s #LifeIsABallWithLindt campaign generated over 30 million views—almost a quarter of the Super Bowl’s total viewership!
Influencer Marketing Cost Per View
  • Ritz: The #RitzBlitzes campaign on TikTok leveraged five creators to generate 149 million views. According to historical data, activating these five specific creators during a key tentpole moment like the Super Bowl could cost an estimated $320K—meaning the campaign could have been run over 21 times for the cost of a single $7M Super Bowl commercial.
Ritz Super Bowl Campaign Analysis
  • Nerds & Addison Rae: By collaborating with social media icon Addison Rae, Nerds effectively doubled their potential reach, aligning influencer audience demographics with their target market. According to historical data, activating a creator of Addison Rae’s following during a tentpole event like the Super Bowl could cost approximately $500K—meaning Nerds could have partnered with her 16 times throughout the year for the price of one 30-second Super Bowl spot. With that astronomical budget, brands that invest in one 30-second Super Bowl spot must weigh up how a long-term always-on campaign throughout a year(s) could perform in comparison.

Engagement & Positive Sentiment Matter More Than Mentions

Out of the eight most-mentioned brands during Super Bowl LVIII, only one ranked among the top brands in positive sentiment. Brands that extended their campaigns beyond the game with interactive and relatable social strategies saw higher engagement and brand affinity:

  • Pluto TV: Achieved an impressive 87% positive sentiment by introducing an interactive TikTok filter that encouraged user-generated content.
  • Skechers: Tapped into the “Mandela Effect” conversation, driving a 65% increase in brand mentions and 75% positive sentiment through viral user discussions.
  • Reese’s: Took a multi-channel approach featuring sports influencers like Jason Kelce and Shaquille O’Neal, amassing over 115 million views across TikTok and Instagram.

Looking Ahead to the 2025 Super Bowl

As we gear up for Super Bowl LIX, the biggest takeaway for brands is clear: influencer-driven, interactive, and social-first campaigns will continue to outperform traditional ad-only approaches. Expect to see:

  • More engaged influencer activations: Brands will look to partner with influencers who have highly engaged audiences.
  • Increased use of interactive content: Augmented reality (AR) filters, challenges, and gamified content will become the norm.

Super Bowl LVIII proved that influencer marketing isn’t just a supplementary tactic—it’s a primary driver of engagement, conversation, and cost-effective reach. For brands looking to win big in 2025, the playbook is clear: go social, go interactive, and go influencer-first.

About Captiv8

Captiv8 is the leading influencer marketing platform that empowers brands to connect with consumers through authentic creator partnerships. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights, Captiv8 helps brands drive engagement, loyalty, and sales in the ever-evolving social landscape. Rated the #1 Best Influencer Marketing Platform by the Influencer Marketing Awards, Captiv8 is also the enterprise marketer’s choice influencer tool. Captiv8 is ranked #1 influencer marketing software for Enterprise Marketers, and #1 best overall influencer marketing platform by G2. 

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