The Super Bowl remains the jewel in the international marketing crown; a moment of the year where consumers and media commentators alike focus on the landmark spots and the stars within them. One brand which is making its creative mark on the event is Amazon. 

In the past, we’ve seen the brand use Michael B. Jordan as Alexa and Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi explore a life before the voice assistant. This year, the brand is continuing to harness the power of celebrity with a spot that sees Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost at home imagining what it would be like if Alexa could read minds.

In the spot created by Amazon and Lucky Generals, Scarlett and Colin playfully show how they interact with Alexa at home by saying, “Alexa, it’s game day,” and “ask” everything from scheduling and setting reminders, to playing music. 

In awe of Alexa’s abilities, the couple go on to imagine what life might be like if Alexa could read their minds and assist in everyday life without them verbally having to ask. In some tongue in cheek scenarios the audience sees Alexa chip in to combat boredom, awkward situations with in-laws and over-step the mark with honesty. The couple agree that a mind-reading Alexa is a step too far and the voice requests are far more fitting.

Amazon’s growth as an advertising superpower

The 2022 Super Bowl sees the price of advertising reach an all time high with a 30 second slot costing $7M; a jump on the past few years' humble $5.5 million. But, Amazon’ recent annual report shows this to be a drop in the ocean for the brand as it’s cited to become “the biggest advertiser in history.” The company’s annual report showed that Amazon increased advertising spend to $16.9bn (£12.5bn) in 2021. 

And, it appears that the company’s investment into advertising is paying off. The retailer is one of the few brands that has benefited greatly from the Covid-19 pandemic with its operating income increasing to $24.9 billion and much of its profits stemming from its own advertising business. As Amazon maintains its rapid growth, the brand continues to place considerable investment into advertising, showing the value it places on the medium.

The power of the Super Bowl

Despite the price of Superbowl ads being consistently on the rise, the event continues to draw in the world’s biggest brands as a platform to showcase creativity, build brand recognition and capitalise on celebrity endorsement.

2021 was the lowest viewed Super Bowl since 2007, yet still managed to rake in an audience of 96.4 million viewers and unlike other TV events with sought after ad slots, the Super Bowl advertising spectacular is one that captures the full attention of viewers. With the likes of Amazon on the bill, the brands that take part and throw down creative submissions will be the talk of spectators well after the match is over.