“Crypto Bowl” Sees Bitcoin Blast to Prominence in Super Bowl LVI

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By Landon Manning

As America watched 2022’s addition to the long tradition of the Super Bowl, one thing stood out: Bitcoin (BTC) has permeated the zeitgeist on every level, from the commercials, to the players participating and beyond.

Super Bowl LVI, which was played on February 13, 2022, was watched live by some 112 million viewers, a nearly 10% increase from the previous year, a figure largely attributed to greater ease of viewing on streaming platforms.

For these reasons, an advertisement on the broadcast is some of the most expensive airtime media available, with a 30 second commercial costing $7 million. And this year, one of the most immediately-noticeable things to all audiences was the prominence of commercials related to Bitcoin, cryptocurrency exchanges and the space as a whole. With several companies all able to pony up the cash for memorable ads, often featuring prominent celebrities, it was hard to miss how far Bitcoin has come from its humble beginnings.

Four different exchanges released commercials, with eToro promoting a 30-second ad centered on stock and crypto traders; Crypto.com releasing a similarly brief ad with Lebron James; and FTX airing a two-and-a-half minute sketch featuring comedian Larry David, promoting Bitcoin by comparing it to humanity’s greatest innovations in a well-executed series of gags. However, the most memorable ad by far was from the premiere exchange Coinbase, which had a 30-second reel of a QR code bouncing around the screen and changing colors, reminiscent of a DVD logo.

Users who scanned this bouncing code were redirected to Coinbase’s site, which promised both $15 to all new signups as well as the chance to win $3 million in a similar sweepstakes to FTX. This ad spiked traffic to Coinbase, breaking new all-time records for the site’s traffic, and even crashed the site momentarily. Promoting the slogan of “less talk, more Bitcoin,” this minimalistic ad was heralded as the best ad in the entire Super Bowl by marketing specialists.

Beyond the commercials, other aspects of the Super Bowl demonstrated how deeply cryptocurrency has permeated popular culture. For starters, the game was played at a stadium sponsored by SoFi Technologies, which not only offers its own exchange services, but is headed by a CEO that proudly holds and advocates for bitcoin.

Additionally, some of the most prominent figures participating in the event itself have somehow connected to Bitcoin. Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who scored the first touchdown of the night, opted to take his entire salary in bitcoin, as have an increasing number of professional athletes in the NFL and elsewhere.

In short, bitcoin has made some real headway into American culture at the Super Bowl, not only by the number of memorable commercials promoting it, but also by some of the subtler connections that are the product of time and success. This latest Super Bowl has shown that Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have come a long way from, and their moment in the sun was undeniable.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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