In a couple of weeks, families and friends will grab gobs of salty food and collect around the TV to participate in one of the few collective media moments we have left – watching the [Super Bowl](http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/50). The big game isn’t something you set on your DVR to watch on demand, lest you be left out of the conversation around the Keurig machine the following day. And, that conversation invariably turns to the commercials and the marketing choices of big brands. These multi-million dollar, 30-second slices of corporate brilliance always generate discussion (and a quick silence of the party chatter at every TV timeout during the game).
If you are a marketer of more limited means, you might feel a bit of “ad envy” when you see what the big budgets and high production value produces on the world’s biggest stage. But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the marketing strategies of the big brands – here are three things to ponder as you [drag yourself into work](http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/million-expected-to-call-off-sick-after-super-bowl/article_a7b25f60-8c56-11e3-b3e5-0017a43b2370.html) on the Monday after the Super Bowl:
#### Find your “Big game”
It might be a trade show, corporate milestone or new product introduction. This is your opportunity to learn from the way big brands surround their big ad with other marketing – PR, content, digital and more. Are you looking at every strategy and tactic for your signature moment? Are there approaches the big brands take that you can use?
#### Be inspired
The spots (and the campaigns they are part of) represent the latest thinking in marketing. Can you apply some of that thinking to your industry? Spend some time looking at the content surrounding the ad. Are there similar approaches you can take in your business? Are there trends that brands are taking to integrate an ad to digital assets that you can learn from? Are there storytelling approaches that are unusual? Remember, brands often take crazy risks with these ads, and today’s “risky” ads will be commonplace tomorrow.
#### Watch the second screen
A few years ago, the lights went out at the New Orleans Superdome during the game. Oreo (and several other brands) successfully [Newsjacked](http://www.newsjacking.com/) this story on social media to become part of conversation online during the game, and during the days following. If social media strategy is part of your marketing mix, steal a few looks at your mobile phone during the Super Bowl to see how brands are joining the conversation. You’ll see some find a seamless fit, while others will shoehorn themselves in awkwardly.
Any other ways the Big Game inspired you? Or do you have a great chili recipe to share? Please share in the Comments section below! And keep track of our Super Bowl thoughts–follow us on Twitter [@IntrinzicSays](https://twitter.com/IntrinzicSays).
