$5 million dollars for 30 seconds. The price to air a commercial during this year’s Super Bowl was seemingly outrageous. This price is about 11% higher than the base price for a spot during last year’s game. Perhaps even more alarming is the 75% increase in price for a 30 second spot between 2005 and 2014.¹ I argue that the Super Bowl has become every bit as much about advertising as it has traditionally been about football. Considering over 114 million viewers tuned in to last year’s Super Bowl, the price point was evidently a worthy investment for many companies trying to expose their products. For many of these companies, $166,000 per second was a no-brainer.

But this year’s commercials weren’t all about products. And if you’ve read some of my past blog posts (particularly those about taking risks), you may sense where I am going with this. Take Colgate-Palmolive, the parent company of the familiar household brand, Colgate. This is perhaps one of the most recognizable brands on the market, as everyone who brushes their teeth would know. We’ve all seen traditional toothpaste commercials with similar promises and claims to fame – “#1 recommended by dentists,” “removes 99.9% of stains,” “freshens breath,” “eliminates plaque,” “fights tarter,” “brightens,” “whitens” the list goes on. Indeed, there is no shortage of appeals that manufacturers will tout in order to induce buying. Airing a traditional, mundane ad like this during Colgate’s first Super Bowl broadcast appearance would likely serve as a legitimate excuse for viewers to head to the restroom, if not the fridge for another drink. So what did Colgate air instead? A public service announcement. A far-from-traditional, less “consumer-esque,” simple call to action. Incase you missed it, I invited you to watch here.

There are a few reasons I love this commercial, asking viewers to turn off the faucet while brushing their teeth. Doing so can save up to 4 gallons of water each time, more than some people have in any given week. I give this commercial 5 stars, for many reasons. Here’s why:

1. Everyone can relate. With such a broad audience watching the Super Bowl, from young children to seniors, I would be hard pressed to find someone watching that commercial who couldn’t connect with the message. Many commercials can be funny, inspiring, or eye-opening but the product (think detergent, insurance, etc.) only influences a subset of the audience. Indeed, Moms often purchase toothpaste for their children, and older viewers are likely already loyal to a specific brand, so what benefit would Colgate have in advertising a specific product? A call to action makes much more sense here.
2. Total juxtaposition with the consumption behavior associated with Super Bowls. Take a look at this info-graphic below from Fox Sports.

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/laces-out/super-bowl-2015-patriots-seahawks-food-consumed-sunday-012815

Super Bowls are seemingly synonymous with food, drink, and all other forms of indulgence. Don’t get me wrong, I fully support having a good time with friends and family while watching the game and cheering on the teams, but the money spent (and calories consumed) toward enjoyment of this game is jaw dropping (no pun intended). That’s what makes this commercial so powerful. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING ELSE or EAT ANYTHING MORE. Simply turn off the water. With viewers flooded with advertisements inducing them to consume, consume, consume, this one emerges in a league of its own.

3. Colgate started a conversation. The hashtag #EveryDropCounts was paired nicely with the public service announcement. In the era of social media and digital forms of communication, it was essential for Colgate to offer a means for continuing the discussion. The company prompted people to take the pledge and actually commit to making a difference. On it’s website http://everydropcounts.colgate.com/, Colgate states that 18,089 people have already spread the word, saving 144,712 gallons of water every day.
4. There’s real benefit to be had. As highlighted on the aforementioned website, 1 in 10 people across the world lack access to clean water which amounts to twice the US population. Colgate states that if all American families took the pledge, 1 trillion glasses of water could be saved in a year. Simply put, any conservation can help.
5. Laying the foundation for future ads. Colgate demonstrated that it’s okay to refrain from putting your product in the limelight. The company sacrificed time to display its toothpaste on perhaps the biggest stage, for the purpose of inspiring action and calling attention to a much bigger issue. In my opinion, this this was a very smart move on two fronts. One, it attracts those consumers who care about the planet, and mission of a company. And two, Colgate’s risk proves to other companies that what you stand for is just as important as the product you offer.

The 30-second spot seems to have been well received, as evidenced by the traction it has gained on social media sites like Twitter. Regardless of the traction, however, I am humbled by the ad’s message and the company’s willingness to take a big risk for its debut. I am excited to see if and how this spot will influence future advertisements, hopefully in a way that will continue the calls-to-action and heighten our global awareness, ultimately leading to sustainable and positive change.

¹ http://fortune.com/2015/08/06/super-bowl-ad-cost/