Sarah DePasquale

Dr. Danielle Brick

ADMN 585.04
2/4/2020

Superbowl Ad Analysis

During the Superbowl, one ad that stood out to me was the Hulu commercial featuring
Tom Brady, Patriot superstar. It starts out in a very somber tone, in black and white, with Tom
explaining how he needs to make an announcement. It is known amongst football fans
nationwide that he plans to retire soon, so this is the direction the ad seems to be going. When
he’s just about to announce what seems to be his retirement, the whole tone of the commercial
shifts to upbeat music and bright colors. Instead, Tom begins to talk about Hulu, the streaming
platform.
It is clear from the commercial that Hulu focuses on segmentation when it comes to
marketing strategies, specifically on the psychographic/personality level. Brady explains how the
platform doesn’t only offer live sports, but cable channels and “the greatest shows, movies, and
originals of all time,” as well. With all these varying options, Hulu can be deemed an attractive
streaming option to all kinds of people with different interests. They want you to know that there
is something for everyone, which consumers respond well to.
The targeting strategy Hulu used was differentiated marketing. The Superbowl generally
gets around 110 million views, which provides major exposure to the companies advertising their
products during the commercial breaks. Displaying their ad during this time frame was Hulu’s
plan was to reach as many of the different segments they market to as possible. It is common
knowledge that the Superbowl is not only viewed by sports fans, but a broad array of individuals.
This was a very effective way to target the market.
Hulu used the strategy of differentiation when it came to their positioning. Differentiation
is what makes a company stand out from their competitor, or what gives them the extra edge. In
this case, I believe Hulu used the fact that they offer live sports and cable tv to set themselves
apart. When I think of their biggest competitor, Netflix comes to mind. Currently, Netflix offers
the streaming of shows, movies, and originals, but has not yet branched out to include live
options. This gives Hulu the upper hand, as a consumer may end up choosing Hulu over Netflix
due to the advantage of live options.
Overall, I believe this ad was effective and proper marketing strategies were used. The
dramatic Tom Brady announcement was used to draw viewers in and was followed by a brief list
of reasons one should choose Hulu as their streaming service. The use of segmentation,
targeting, and differentiation were apparent in the making of this advertisement.