Eight Predictions for Super Bowl Tweets as Improv Marketing Takes the Field

Today finds hundreds of brands huddled in their war rooms, rehearsing how they will respond to what-if scenarios at the Super Bowl.

I loved the line uttered by David Matahia, director of marketing communications for Hyundai, at the Holmes Innovation Summit last week: “Oreo screwed us all with their Super Bowl moment.” Because Oreo generated so much attention with a tweet that riffed off the power outage at last year’s Super Bowl, everyone has jumped into the improv business storytelling game.

By everyone, I mean the mega brands, unknown companies and even non-profits will be anxiously waiting for that single happenstance that sets the stage for Warhol-like fame.

To get you ready for game day – how many times can a guy/gal watch Sports Center with Trent Dilfer breaking down Russell Wilson’s inability to react to a cover 2 zone – I offer eight predictions for tweets playing off the Super Bowl action

• American Civil Liberties Union

Given the state of the Richard Sherman brand and the certainty that he will destroy a play pulling all cameras his way, this one is a natural.

• Timberland

No doubt, brands are creating tweets before the game that can be queued up based on the action. Knowing the field’s surface is going to be nasty, Timberland has this ready to go.

• National Tattoo Supply

As we learned from Oreo, what happens away from the game can offer fresh opportunities. Put your hands together for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

• Toastmasters

Even if the temperature doesn’t go frigid, the suits aren’t going to stay until the end of the game.

• Subway

Could Subway cross the line into the snarky quadrant with the POV being lighter on one’s feet might prevent penalties? Consider some of the “what-were-u-thinking” tweets we’ve seen from brands recently and answer that question.

• Viagra/Pfizer

Enough said.

• Christian Mingle

If one of the players crashes into a cheerleader, Christian Mingle will be ready.

• Food Network

There’s got to be at least one “ahhh” moment. This one from the Food Network includes a link to Peyton Manning’s favorite recipe for hot cocoa, taking integrated marketing to the next level.

For actual improv storytelling, the “unexpected” serves as the ignition.

Like a stand-up comedian playing off a heckler in the audience, it’s the “nimble wit” that wins people over.

Which is damn hard to do.

I look forward to seeing who “wins” on Sunday.

And a Bronco victory wouldn’t be so bad either (said the bitter Niner fan).

P.S. Brad Tuttle at Time wrote an excellent post on the broad topic, “Blame Oreo, Why Your Twitter Feed Will Go Bonkers During the Super Bowl.”