🧠🏈 The Super Bowl

Today’s Edition of Captivated: The Super Bowl: The Psychology Behind Sport’s Biggest Night

“A MINORRRRRRRRRR”

Well, it happened.

the underdog story we all love (or love to hate)

as the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the 2025 Super Bowl championship in an ultimate redemption story.

(and Kendrick Lamar took another shot at Drake, at halftime, in the ultimate diss story of the last year).

Every year, the Super Bowl dominates pop culture, from the game itself to the halftime show to the commercials that cost millions for just 30 seconds of airtime…

(continues below).

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⏩️ Too Busy to Read the Whole Thing?

• Read the tl; dr at the bottom

• 🎧️ Listen: scroll all the way to the top and click: Listen Online

🧭 INSIDE THIS EDITION

• Redemption

• Smart Tool You Can Use #1

• So Much Power

• Did You Know?

• Hooked

• The Psychology Behind It

• Brands Using This

• Steal this Strategy for Yourself

• tl;dr

• Smart (& Free) Tool You Can Use #2

(continued from above )

... and even though we’re all feeling a MAJOR case of the Mondays,

The Super Bowl is THE sporting event, and an experience that brands, fans, and advertisers buy into year after year.

But why? Why does the Super Bowl hold such power over audiences?

Because it’s engineered to.

It taps into deep psychological drivers that make people feel something, and you can use this same playbook from the Super Bowl for your product, service, or business.

📈 DID YOU KNOW?

Brands spent an average of $7 million per 30-second ad in 2024.

The 2024 Super Bowl pulled in over 115 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched TV events in history.

🤔 🏈 

 .. HOOKED: The Moments We Can’t Stop Talking About ..

The Super Bowl is as much about the moments that keep people engaged and invested as it is about football. Some are legendary, some are unexpected, and some become part of pop culture history:

• The Halftime Show Spectacles: From Beyoncé’s iconic performance to Rihanna’s pregnancy reveal, halftime is a bigger headline than the game itself.

• Memorable Commercials: Companies drop $7 million for a single ad spot, creating commercials that are funny, emotional, or downright bizarre - anything to stay memorable.

• Game-Winning Plays & Shocking Losses: Whether it’s a comeback win or a last-second heartbreak, high-stakes drama keeps fans glued to the screen.

• Viral Moments & Memes: From wardrobe malfunctions to celebrity appearances in the crowd, the Super Bowl fuels internet culture for days.

• The FOMO Effect: Even non-sports fans feel compelled to watch because it’s a shared cultural moment - and nobody wants to miss out.

🧠

 .. The Psychology Behind The Super Bowl ..

Why does the Super Bowl capture everyone’s attention, even those who don’t care about football? Because it leverages powerful psychological drivers that influence behavior and spending:

🧠 FOMO & Event-Based Hype: 

The Super Bowl is a live, one-time event, creating a sense of urgency that heightens anticipation and participation.

Whether it's the game, the halftime show, or even just the snacks at the party, the experience feels like something you need to be part of.

Our brains are wired to seek out moments that feel exclusive, driving millions to tune in.

🧠 Social Proof & Influence: 

Humans are social creatures. We take cues from what others are doing.

When millions of people are watching, talking, and reacting in real-time, we feel an unconscious pull to join in.

Whether it’s discussing plays, dissecting commercials, or debating halftime performances, this collective participation amplifies engagement and makes the event feel even bigger.

🧠 Scarcity & Exclusivity: 

The Super Bowl happens only once a year, and many of its key moments, like its commercials, are only aired during the game (for the most part - this is also changing with growing social proof and influence).

This scarcity effect makes everything associated with the event feel more valuable and special.

Limited-time experiences activate our brain’s loss aversion, making us want to engage so we don’t miss out.

🧠 Emotional Anchoring: 

Memories become stronger when tied to emotion, and the Super Bowl is packed with emotional highs and lows.

The shared experience of watching with friends, celebrating big wins, lamenting over losses, indulging in game-day food, and reacting to over-the-top ads strengthens brand recall.

These emotional connections make us more likely to remember (and later act on) the things we see during the event.

🧠 Tribalism: 

Humans have an innate need to belong, and the Super Bowl provides the perfect opportunity to choose a side.

Whether it’s rooting for a team, supporting a halftime performer, or even choosing a favorite commercial, these affiliations create a sense of community and heightened emotional investment.

The stronger the identity connection, the more engaged we become.

🧠 

.. PSYCHOLOGY IN SESSION: How Brands Use the Super Bowl ..

The Super Bowl is the biggest stage in sports -- and marketing and consumer psychology. Companies who use psychology and consumer behavior create moments that stick, and pay off over and over.

Super Bowl commercials aren’t just watched once, they’re replayed, talked about, and remembered all year long. ( 👀 It’s what’s had me captivated this week).

And the best part? You don’t need a Super Bowl budget of $7 million dollars to use the same psychology in your own business:

🧠 📈  EXCLUSIVE DEEP DIVE:

Want to see the psychology behind the top Super Bowl ads, and how to steal their strategies for yourself?

UNLOCK THIS & other case studies here,

for less than the cost of a single Uber Eats order - orrr that extra order of wings you grabbed on Super Bowl Sunday (I did too, no judgement).

🥷

 .. Steal this Strategy for Yourself ..

1. Make Your Offering Feel Like an Exclusive Event

• Offer time-limited access to premium features or a new product drop to create urgency. Example: “Only available for 48 hours - unlock VIP access now!”

• Use countdowns on your website and emails to build anticipation before a launch.

• Launch a mystery product reveal to keep customers engaged and speculating.

• Make checkouts feel like an exclusive experience. Example: “Congrats! You’re one of the first 100 customers to get this deal.”

2. Leverage Identity & Tribalism to Drive Repeat Purchases

• Create membership perks that reward ongoing loyalty. Example: “Join our Elite Tier and get early access to all new drops.”

• Let customers choose a team when they buy. Example: “Pick your style: Minimalist vs. Bold: Which side are you on?”

• Introduce status-based rewards that unlock after a certain number of purchases. Example: “You’re now a Gold Member - here’s an exclusive discount!”

3. Use Scarcity & Urgency to Convert More at Checkout

• Display low-stock warnings on high-demand items. Example: “Only 5 left - order now!”

• Offer flash deals that expire in the cart to encourage quick decisions. Example: “Unlock 15% off if you check out within the next 15 minutes!”

• Add limited-time bundles to increase cart size. Example: “Get the exclusive Super Bowl edition with your order - only 50 available!”

• Show a live ticker of people purchasing in real time. Example: “X people just bought this in the last hour - don’t miss out!”

4. Tie Your Offering Into Cultural Moments to Stay Relevant

• Create themed product drops inspired by trending events. Example: “Limited-time colors inspired by the Super Bowl - shop now!”

• Use real-time marketing during major events to engage audiences on social media. Example: “Special offers every time a touchdown [or other big moment] happens!”

• Offer rewards for engagement on event days. Example: “Make a purchase on Super Bowl Sunday and receive an exclusive bonus item!” Or “Guess the game’s final score at checkout and unlock a mystery discount!”

• Run themed campaigns that align with major pop culture happenings. Example: “Our MVP-worthy sale is here: shop the best deals before the big night!”

It’s not just about the game. The Super Bowl wins by making people care about the experience.

✌️ 

 .. tl;dr & captivated wrap-up ..

The Super Bowl is a cultural event that pulls people in, whether they care about the actual game or not.

🧠 It creates FOMO, taps into social proof, plays on scarcity, builds emotional connections, and fuels the need to belong to a side.

That’s why people watch, why brands spend millions, and why the conversation lasts long after the final play.

People crave experiences that make them feel something, and event-based hype, exclusivity, and shared experiences tap into that desire. You can use the same psychology to sell more.

• Make your offering feel like an exclusive event,

• build identity and belonging around it,

• use scarcity to drive action, and

• connect to cultural moments your audience cares about.

When you create something people want to be a part of, they don’t just buy, they're captivated, and they keep coming back.

You can see the psychology breakdown behind the top Super Bowl ads and steal the strategies to sell more in this exclusive deep dive here.

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