While Martin didn’t share exactly how much the extensive Super Bowl inventory buy was, press materials for the launch put the total initial marketing push for Zeam at eight figures, inclusive of the Big Game strategy, as well as marketing on social, digital, out-of-home and local channels following the game. A similar approach was taken by Yellow Tail in 2017’s Super Bowl, although in that case the wine brand was looking to get around Anheuser-Busch InBev’s alcohol category exclusivity at the time, which has since been dropped. Yellow Tail’s strategy to buy up regional ad space in 70 markets ended up costing the brand more than an average national buy, which at the time cost roughly $5 million for a 30-second unit. This year’s national units hover around $7 million.
“There’s a lot to love about Zeam, but it’s brand new and it will be like nothing people have seen before when it launches. So it’s going to take some leaps,” said Martin. The key to getting Super Bowl viewers to actually sign in to the streamer is not just about awareness, but to “also create curiosity and to do that both nationally and in a hyperlocal way. And so that's why you’re seeing the launch of a full-funnel, multi-phase, omni-channel campaign. That’s why you’re seeing the kind of innovation in the creative and the media plan, and that’s why this campaign is designed to evolve and respond opportunistically to what’s happening in culture.”
The Zeam launch campaign will roll out in phases over the coming year. Zeam will go live on Feb. 5, but will officially launch on Feb. 11 in line with the Super Bowl.