The stakes of big game and tentpole marketing
Tentpole moments, especially the Big Game, concentrate attention and forge memory. They create rare windows where brand building can flow into both equity and action. Because strong advertising behaves less like a verdict and more like a rehearsal, these moments stack. They turn ordinary products into the obvious choice, the one people reach for even when no purchase is urgent.
As repetition, rhythm, and recognition accumulate, mental availability expands. Brands that live in memory become the fluent, low-friction option for shoppers who are ready today and for those still shaping intent tomorrow.
Distinctive brand assets make this compounding effect practical. Think of Apple and Think Different, the Intel chime of four notes, Cadbury purple, the Budweiser Clydesdales, and the McDonald’s jingle. These serve as retrieval cues. They compress meaning, reduce cognitive load at category entry, and keep the brand present at the instant of choice.
What follows converts these principles into an operating plan. First, we examine how Big Game audiences behave. Next, we design a campaign arc that compounds attention before the kickoff, during the broadcast, and in the afterglow. Finally, we show how to measure person-level advertising effectiveness impact across Brand Lift and Outcomes Lift.
Why familiarity and repetition win
Most decisions do not arrive as revelations. They grow from steady exposure that sets expectations, speeds processing, and makes recall feel effortless. Decades of research show that the most effective advertising builds fluency through familiarity more than it convinces through long explanation. Emotional response also forms even while people multitask or watch with partial attention.
In media terms, the Big Game turns a scarce burst of high-quality attention into durable memory structures. Think in terms of ad stock and salience decay. The event delivers a large initial deposit. Follow-on exposures decay at a predictable rate, refresh memory traces, and preserve findability when needs arise.
What the big stage gives you
This moment is different. People show up for the ads, then carry them forward across platforms and time. In our latest readout:
- 68% look forward to the ads, a rare window of willing attention.
- Nearly half, 47%, watch a spot online before kickoff, so salience starts early.
- 43% have tried a product after seeing it during the game, proof that exposure converts.
- 48% notice event sponsorships, especially younger viewers.
Why the Big Game and tentpole marketing demand cross-platform measurement coverage
Turning peak attention into outcomes requires more than a single spike. The plan should read as a sequence that compounds.
Design the arc:
- Teasers. Seed memory, establish distinctive assets, and prime category entry points.
- In-game spot. Concentrate reach and attention quality at the peak moment.
- Follow-ups. Refresh recall, reinforce assets, and keep the brand easy to find when people shift from interest to action.
While some audiences convert quickly, others store associations that reactivate when a need emerges weeks or months later. Both dynamics matter because strong advertising drives near-term activation while it also builds the base for long-term brand growth.
Sequencing multiplies the value of spending. Balance flighting with continuity to manage wear-in and prevent premature wear-out. Align creative variations so people move fluidly across funnel stages.
Measure the full, compounding impact with DISQO
Investment at this scale calls for measurement that reflects the full arc and its compounding effects.
Brand Lift. Quantify awareness, familiarity, favorability, consideration, intent, and brand attributes. Break results out by channel, creative, and frequency so teams can evaluate distinctive asset performance, effective frequency, and incremental reach across TV, CTV, digital, social, and audio.
Outcomes Lift. Reveal next actions, including search behavior, site visitation, and shopping activity. DISQO measures at the person level through direct relationships with real people across platforms. This enables cross-channel deduplication and clear visibility into how attention converts into intent and action without gaps or blind spots.
With this design, teams can read frequency–response curves, calibrate recency effects, and isolate the incremental contribution of the tentpole relative to the broader plan.
Don’t fumble your big game investment
Tentpoles manufacture attention, and repetition converts attention into memory. Together, these forces generate revenue today while establishing durable preference for tomorrow.
If the Big Game sits in your plan, capture the total effect with DISQO. Measure what matters, prove what works, and translate visibility into compounding growth.
Book your pregame strategy session today and explore how leading brands are getting full coverage on their big game media plan. For more on what consumers expect and how they interact with big game ads, download our ultimate playbook.
