Febreze's Super Bowl campaign features man whose #BleepDontStink

Dive Brief:

P&G’s Febreze has released a 60-second extended version of its 30-second Super Bowl LII commercial, a news release announced. The campaign features Dave, a regular guy who has an unusual characteristic: his #BleepDontStink. The video was released on Febreze’s YouTube channel, and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
The mockumentary-style spot features interviews with Dave’s parents, a former coach and a doctor, who have been in awe of his “fecal anomaly.” The ad ends by reminding consumers that “Dave and his odorless bleep won’t be in attendance at their Super Bow parties — but everyone else will," and encourages people to prepare their bathroom by purchasing Febreze.
Febreze also hosted a pre-Super Bowl party at The Ainsworth in New York City on Jan. 25 with celebrity partners Nick Cannon and Bethenny Frankel introducing the ad and Dave himself. Consumers are encouraged to join the #BleepDontStink conversation on social media using that hashtag.

Dive Insight:

Humor and silliness have been common themes for Super Bowl commercials over the years. Remember the 2010 Snickers spot featuring Betty White getting tackled in a pick-up football game, or the iconic 1984 Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef” ad? With #BleepDontStink, Febreze is hoping to make future lists of the funniest Super Bowl spots.

The mockumentary-style campaign and co-branded hashtag will help Febreze generate some social media buzz ahead of the big game. Taco Bell took a similar approach last week when the fast food brand released a fake film trailer to promote its new Nacho Fries. Concentrating on week or two before the Super Bowl is a way for advertisers to maximize their approximately $5 million in-game ad buys. Research has shown that Super Bowl advertisers also see extended benefits, such as social media engagement and higher sales, long after the game ends.

A common pre-game marketing approach is focusing on Super Bowl party planning, with the hopes of driving sales ahead of the big game. Millions of Americans host or attend Super Bowl parties each year, and about 80% plan to purchase food and beverages for the event, National Retail Federation data show. With game-day parties in mind, Febreze is asking, “Is your bathroom ready?” Tostitos launched a digital Super Bowl party invitation creator featuring Alfonso Ribeiro. Produce brand Avocados from Mexico teamed up with Old El Paso on a Super Bowl themed blogger program, featuring recipes, in-store displays and coupons.

Febreze is one of only a handful of advertisers releasing their full ads early this year, something that was more common during past Super Bowls. Lexus also released an extended version of its ad online before the game. This year, many advertisers are choosing to release only teasers of their ads before the game, saving the full spots for Super Bowl viewers.