There is no bigger stage for brands than the Super Bowl, and this year’s game was no exception. In recent years, in addition to the widely anticipated commercials, “moment marketing,” has emerged as a powerful online tool to insert savvy brands into trending consumer conversations at mass scale.

Often influenced by spur-of-the-moment choices, moment marketing requires nimble response, flawless planning and solid execution. Here are three ways to successfully land moment marketing for your brand to drive relevancy and consumer engagement.

1. Capitalize on Large Event Conversations

As expected, this year’s big game did not disappoint with humorous brand commentary online throughout the event. For example, Planters’ iconic Mr. Peanut character was quick to react to Coinbase’s popular bouncing QR Code ad with a floating peanut stating, “What did the QR code say? I was busy getting snacks.” Even a public service brand like the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission got into the game, responding to the Uber Eats commercial showing Nicholas Braun attempting to eat soap with the simple tweet, “Do not eat soap,” garnering 180K reactions.

By participating in the digital back and forth, brands are able to tap into the massive audiences fixed on their screens during events like this. To be successful, it is important for marketers to quickly analyze trending social topics and commercials and lean into themes embedded in ads leading up to the event.

2. Build on Your Own Brand Legacy

Moment marketing is most effective when it is truly authentic to your brand. A few years ago, after a bridesmaid posted her gown online, the Roman Originals dress went viral as people weighed in on the debate as to whether the gown was blue and black, or white and gold. With 10,000 tweets per minute at the height of the conversation and 3,000 dresses sold in 10 days, other companies joined in. Tide capitalized on the moment to highlight its Tide Plus ColorGuard and join the #DressGate moment, authentically supporting its brand legacy of returning clothes to their original state.

3. Create Emotional Connections

One example of real-time viral marketing that made an emotional connection through humor was Ikea’s response to Balenciaga’s extra-large shopper tote, which was a lookalike to Ikea’s 99-cent tote, but selling at the designer price tag of $2,145. Ikea’s cheeky ad – on how to identify the Ikea shopping bag by rustling it and hosing it off after throwing it in the dirt – was on-brand with Ikea’s affordable image and made an emotional connection with its target audience.

Emotional connections like this one can drive brand loyalty and galvanize consumers to action. Ikea earned one billion impressions from its response, which also included a second and third wave of media attention as Ikea built upon this story. The 99-cent bag became the most sold product of the year.

Moment marketing can bring significant awareness to your brand when utilized effectively. As an integrated marketing and communications agency, Wilks Communications Group can help you apply it to your program. Email us at hello@wilksgrp.com to learn more about how we can maximize your brand visibility and resonance with the right audience.