How Americans Will Celebrate Super Bowl LV in 2021

Americans are not rushing out to bars and restaurants this Super Bowl Sunday, instead they plan on celebrating the big game at home with food, fun, and family.

The best part about Super Bowl Sunday is the food, even if you don't care about the game. Savanta data shows that 87% of Americans plan to celebrate this Sunday with food.

Americans crave entertainment and tradition as they grow restless after one year of COVID-19 lockdowns. The Super Bowl plans to deliver that excitement when the big game airs this Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Americans Are Staying Home on Super Bowl Sunday

While football fans across the country are gearing up for the Super Bowl on Sunday, infectious disease doctors and public health experts are nervous. They warn that attending a Super Bowl party could put your health at risk. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warns not to gather for the Super Bowl. He fears large spikes and possible further lockdowns if Americans don’t stay home.

New Savanta data sheds positive news about those fears. Only 3% of the consumers plan to watch the Super Bowl in a bar or restaurant and only 5% plan to watch the Super Bowl with friends. That’s positive news!

Still, Americans love the Super Bowl, and this year is no exception. Despite the pandemic, 85% of consumers plan to cook, order food, or eat out on Super Bowl Sunday. Most Americans (53%) plan to cook traditional Super Bowl meals such as nachos, chili, wings, and hot dogs at home. 26% plan to order food for home delivery and 15% of the consumers plan to order take-out food from a restaurant.

What Are Americans Eating This Super Bowl Sunday?

The best part about Super Bowl Sunday is the food, even if you don’t care about the game. Savanta data shows that 87% of Americans plan to celebrate this Sunday with food. Savanta reports that the top three Super Bowl foods are chips and dips (47%), chicken wings (46%), pizza (45%). Nachos (35%), burgers and sliders (30%), and barbeque (30%) follow close behind.

Is the Super Bowl Really About Football?

Some people watch the big game, but there is something for everyone on Super Bowl Sunday. Family members tune in for different reasons, many of which have nothing to do with football. In fact, only 53% of Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl for the actual game. 42% tune in for the halftime music show, and 41% tune in for the advertisements. 31% tune in to see who is singing The National Anthem (Who can forget Whitney Houston’s version back in 1991)?

Advertising During Super Bowl Looks Different in 2021

Coca Cola and Pepsi announced they would not be airing Super Bowl commercials this year. Budweiser is also sitting out Super Bowl LV as they plan to put money toward COVID-19 vaccine awareness and education. The majority of Americans (56%) have a neutral feeling about this news. 31% of the consumers have positive thoughts, and 13% of the consumers have negative feelings about the popular brands not airing ads during the Super Bowl.

Overall, not advertising during the Super Bowl is not hurting consumer sentiments about Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Savanta data shows that 65% of the consumers have a positive impression of Coca-Cola, and 63% think highly of Pepsi. However, less than half (45%) of Americans have a positive impression of Budweiser, so it will be interesting to see if their plan to reallocate the advertising dollars to support public awareness and education for the COVID-19 vaccine will increase that percentage.

Newby Super Bowl Advertisers in 2021

With big hitters like Coca-Cola and Pepsi out of the ad game this Super Bowl Sunday, Americans will see many new companies competing for America’s attention. This weekend, two new companies planning to air commercials are Fiverr, a freelance working platform, and Vroom, a used car company. According to Savanta, only 1 in 5 Americans have a positive impression of Fiverr, and even less (16%) have a positive impression of Vroom. These two companies are banking on increasing consumer awareness and sentiment after their ads air this Sunday.

More well-known brands, Chipotle and Doordash, are also first-time advertisers this Super Bowl Sunday. While consumer sentiment is average for these brands, 51%, and 44%, respectively, they hope to see a boost in opinion post-Super Bowl.

Car Companies Battle for America’s Attention on Super Bowl Sunday

Car companies, Toyota and Ford, will continue to battle for consumer loyalty this year, but Ford will opt out of Super Bowl advertising. According to CNBC, Ford is airing a “Super Bowl worthy” 60-second ad leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. Toyota’s ad will profile Paralympian Jessica Long in an emotional 60-second Super Bowl ad. Both brands already enjoy positive feelings from consumers (Toyota 61% and Ford 60%), but they hope their new Super Bowl ads will give them the edge this Sunday.

The Puppy Bowl is Back

Since 2005, Americans have tuned in to watch the Puppy Bowl. The Puppy Bowl imitates an American football game similar to the Super Bowl, using puppies.  They even compete in a model stadium. In 2021, fans can expect to see a larger stadium with a new skybox. Cameras in the water bowls, end zone pylons, and drones will capture the plays. According to Savanta, 32% of the consumers plan to watch the Puppy Bowl, and 25% are not even aware that the Puppy Bowl existed. Savanta thinks that after 2020, 2021 is the perfect year to watch puppies compete. The best part is that the “dogletes” competing at The Puppy Bowl are all available for adoption.

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