The Super Bowl isn’t just the biggest night in sports—it’s the biggest stage for advertisers. With brands investing upwards of $7 million for a single 30-second ad, the stakes couldn’t be higher. But what separates a viral, high-impact campaign from one that fizzles out? The answer lies in data-driven consumer insights.

By leveraging predictive analytics before the game and measuring brand lift, sentiment, and ROI after, brands can ensure their Super Bowl campaigns deliver maximum impact. Here’s how top marketers use consumer research to refine their strategies before, during, and after the big game.

Pre-Game: Predictive Analytics for Smarter Ad Strategy 

Before a single ad airs, predictive consumer research helps brands optimize everything from creative messaging to audience targeting. Here’s how:

1. A|B Testing & Ad Optimization

Savvy marketers don’t leave success to chance. Using online surveys and AI-powered research platforms like SightX, brands can test multiple ad concepts weeks or months before the Super Bowl to identify which messaging, visuals, and emotional triggers resonate best with target audiences.

Key Insights:

• What emotions (humor, nostalgia, excitement) drive the strongest engagement?
• Does the brand message align with consumer expectations?

Are different demographics or psychographic segments responding differently?

2. Audience Segmentation & Behavioral Insights

Not all Super Bowl viewers are the same. Consumer research platforms help brands break down their audience into highly specific segments based on demographics, interests, and purchasing behavior.

Key Insights:

• Which audience groups are most likely to engage with the ad?
• How do regional, cultural, or generational differences impact response?
• Are there emerging trends or shifts in consumer sentiment that should be addressed?

3. Competitive Benchmarking

Brands also use pre-game research to analyze competitor strategies. By tracking past Super Bowl ad performance and analyzing consumer sentiment trends, marketers can fine-tune their messaging to stand out.

Key Insights:

• What made last year’s most successful ads work?
• How can a brand differentiate itself in a crowded Super Bowl lineup?
• What industry-specific trends (sustainability, AI, personalization) should be incorporated?

Post-Game: Measuring Brand Lift, Sentiment, and ROI

Once the game is over, the real work begins: Did the ad actually drive results?

1. Real-Time Sentiment Analysis

Through AI-powered consumer research, brands can gauge how audiences reacted in real-time across social media, forums, and surveys.

Key Metrics:

• Emotional Sentiment Score: Did audiences find the ad funny, inspiring, or off-putting?
• Social Media Mentions & Engagement: How many conversations did the ad generate?
• Consumer Recall & Recognition: Can people remember who the ad was for?

Real-World Example: PopCorners' 2023 Super Bowl ad, featuring a "Breaking Bad" reunion, was one of the most effective campaigns in recent years. By utilizing sentiment analysis, the brand measured emotional response, creative effectiveness, and audience recall—ensuring the ad’s resonance long after the game ended.

2. Brand Lift & Purchase Intent Tracking

Beyond likes and shares, the real measure of success is whether the ad positively impacted brand perception and intent to buy. Surveys and behavioral tracking help answer key questions:

Key Metrics:

• Brand Favorability: Did the ad improve consumers’ perception of the brand?
• Purchase Consideration: Are viewers more likely to buy or engage with the brand?
• Website Traffic & Conversions: Did the ad drive more search volume, site visits, or sales?

Real-World Example: DraftKings, a major player in the sports betting industry, was the most active brand on social media during the Super Bowl in 2024. By monitoring real-time engagement and sentiment, DraftKings ensured they capitalized on audience interest, adjusting their content strategy to maximize engagement throughout the event.

3. Long-Term Impact Analysis

Super Bowl ads don’t just create immediate buzz—they can shape brand perception for months or years. Ongoing consumer research tracks how brand awareness, loyalty, and customer engagement evolve over time.

Key Insights:

• Does the Super Bowl ad have lasting brand recall beyond the initial hype?
• Are consumers still engaging with the brand’s message a month later?
• How does the Super Bowl spot impact overall brand equity and loyalty?

Turn Insights into Impact with SightX

At SightX, we empower brands to make data-driven decisions before, during, and after major marketing campaigns—including the Super Bowl. Our AI-powered research platform helps businesses uncover deep consumer insights, optimize ad performance, and measure real-world impact.

Want to ensure your next big campaign delivers results? Let’s talk about how SightX can help you leverage predictive analytics and post-game insights for smarter marketing strategies.

 

 

Generative AI is experiencing a boom. 

While you likely recognize tools like ChatGPT or DALL-E for text and image generation, the implications for this technology are much broader. From transforming the product design process to reshaping traditional healthcare practices- generative AI is set to revolutionize nearly every industry it touches. 

But as more organizations explore the potential of generative AI, we’ve been left with a few questions: 

Can people tell the difference between AI-generated content and content created by humans? 
Is there a correct way for brands to approach generative AI? 
Will consumers perceive brands differently if they choose to use generative AI? 
Is there an audience that is most receptive to AI generated content? 

And that is precisely where our study begins. 

 

What is Generative AI? 

Before we go any further, let’s cover the basics. 

For those unfamiliar, generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can produce various kinds of content (like text, images, audio, and video). This technology isn’t exactly new, but recent advancements in the field have made generative AI’s output convincingly authentic. 

While this technology has sparked major concerns around deepfakes and cybersecurity (rightly so), it has also opened up a new world of possibilities for businesses- offering opportunities to increase efficiency, scale productivity, and reduce costs. 

Generative AI: Quick Facts + Perceptions

Now, let’s dig into the data. 

Unsurprisingly, we found that most people (65%) are at least somewhat familiar with the concept of generative AI. But when it comes to their feelings and perceptions, it’s a bit more complicated. 

 

 

From our data, we can see that while people are curious about this technology there is a clear lack of trust and some concern. However, there is some good new for brands...

Despite the unease, 77% of respondents don’t take issue with brands using AI-generated content. Especially if they disclose it upfront. 

 

 

 

Using AI-Generated Content

Our biggest question going into this study was whether people can easily distinguish AI-generated content from that created by humans. 

So we decided to put it to the (concept) test. 

For this portion of the study, our team wrote a short text blurb based on a random prompt that was also given to ChatGPT. And for images, we prompted DALL-E to create something realistic and found similar stock photos to match. 

The results surprised us. 

Before even showing respondents the content, only 36% thought it would be obvious to discern whether it was created by AI. 

And when it came to the text concept test, the numbers held. 63% were unable to tell whether the text sample they saw was created by a human or ChatGPT. Those who did wager a guess had extremely low accuracy. 

 

 

When it comes to image comparison, only half of respondents were unsure whether they were looking at a real photograph or an image generated by DALL-E. And, unlike our text experiment, nearly 40% were able to correctly identify the image generated by AI. 

 

 

What does that mean for businesses?

If you're considering using AI like ChatGPT to help you create content- you're likely in the clear! 

Our data shows that most audiences don’t mind brands using AI generated content. Additionally, data suggests that AI generated text and images are almost indistinguishable from human generated text and images. And while people do seem to be able to discern images a bit better, this technology will only continue to improve. 

The even better news? For some audience segments, using generative AI can have a positive impact on your brand image. This is especially true for younger populations. 

 

 

So what does it all mean? 

 

Overall, only 7% of our respondents would prefer brands to avoid AI generated content. While there is a chance brands may lose some brownie points with Baby Boomers, most respondents (regardless of age) do believe brands should be able to use generative AI technology. 

What’s more, if your target audience is primarily made up of Gen Z, you may actually win them over- as they are more likely to see brands that use generative AI as cutting-edge or futuristic.

Brands, like those in the fashion, food services, and fitness categories should feel especially empowered to use AI.

 

Test Your Own Content

To make this study a reality, the SightX research team developed a proprietary template that allowed us to gauge perceptions, evaluate AI tools, and test AI created content with consumers- all in a single, compact study. 

And now that template is available for you!

If you’re ready to learn how your business can effectively use generative AI with your target market, reach out to our team to get started today!

 

What’s Next for Generative AI? 

This study was just the beginning of our deep dive into the world of generative AI. If you’re interested in learning more, click the button below and let us know what you’re interested in learning about. It might just end up being a part of our new report!

 

 

 

2022 dealt some turbulent economic circumstances for US consumers. 

From price hikes and inflation to talks of a recession, conditions haven't necessarily made for happy and confident consumers. 

So as people finish up their holiday shopping, we were curious to know how they're feeling heading into the holidays, what their budgets looked like this year, and how inflation impacted their purchasing behavior.

Keep reading for our key takeaways. 

 

Consumer Sentiments

When surveying our sample, we found that more than half (51%) reported their price sensitivity is higher this holiday season than last. With the majority rating their sensitivity a 4 out of 5. 

But this doesn't appear to be a holiday-induced spike. In fact, we've been tracking price sensitivity since July with our inflation study. 

Our data shows that current numbers are right on par with what consumer's reported just 5 months ago. Confirming that while inflation may have slowed, consumer confidence has yet to bounce back. 

And all of this has led to some mental strain, with half of consumers reporting their stress levels are higher than last holiday season.

So what does that mean for brands? 

Meet consumers where they are- this holiday season and beyond.

Keep your ear to the ground and take the time to understand what is affecting your core customer base and use that information to inform your messaging and marketing campaigns. 

Right now, people are concerned about their financial futures and they are more likely to be cautious with their spending. 

So take this time to prioritize your customer relationships over transactions.

 

On Consumer Gift Spending

Despite signs that inflation is slowing, it still looms large over many consumers. With 73% saying inflation has or will impact their 2022 holiday shopping.

So, it should surprise no one that 47% of consumers are spending less on gifts this year. 

But how will they be using that budget? A few categories took the lead. 

The data below shows the percentage of people who plan to purchase gifts in a given category: 

Splurging  

Even with a tight budget- some things are worth spending a little more. 

This year, quality is king, with 67% of people saying they would gladly spend more on higher quality gifts. 

Convenience and fast delivery are also key drivers, with 33% willing to pay more for an easier shopping experience and speedy shipping. 

And of course, we brand loyalty is still a factor. Nearly a third of people are willing to spend a bit more on gifts if the product is from a brand they know and trust. 

 

BONUS: Holiday Travel Snapshot

While we doubt the airports will be anything remotely resembling empty this winter, people are reporting lower rates of holiday travel due to financial stress. 

In fact, the majority (58%) of consumers have no plans of traveling this holiday season. 

And for those that are, only 12% say they will be flying to visit friends and family or take a holiday vacation. 

 

Getting Insights with SightX

The SightX platform is the next generation of automated market research tools: a single, unified solution for consumer engagement, understanding, advanced analysis, and reporting.

Remove the guesswork from your growth by going directly to the source. Whether you are ready for a total DIY experience or prefer some support and guidance- we’ve got you covered.

Reach out today to start a trial!

After a long wait, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have (finally) arrived! 

And if you’re anything like the SightX team, then we have no doubt you’re excited to catch this year's games.

Maybe it's the amazing feats of athleticism that keep us watching. Or perhaps it's the zero-to-hero stories we watch play out right before our eyes. 

Whatever it may be, it captivates us every two years. So our team decided to dig a little deeper. 

In our latest study, we engaged with US respondents to better understand why they love the Olympics, and how they plan on watching the 2020 games. 

Here is what we found: 

Key Findings 

80% of people surveyed are planning to watch at least some Olympic coverage.
The most common reason to watch the games was the excitement of cheering on the USA. 
Of the new sports added in 2020, surfing is what respondents are most looking forward to watching. 🤙
Nike is (by and large) the first brand that comes to mind when people think of the Olympics. 

 

Generational Differences 

As we are known to do, we decided to take our analysis a step further to see if there were any generational differences when it came to Olympic viewing.

But interestingly enough, we found that while our ages may differ, our Olympic preferences are quite similar.

Baby boomer, Gen X, and Millennial respondents all had similar levels of passion and excitement for this year's games. And they even all seemed to agree on the reason: they love cheering on team USA.

But (as usual) Gen Z respondents did have some notable differences.

Between 29%-35% of respondents from older generations planned to watch the opening ceremonies and as much coverage as possible afterward. But, for our younger respondents, that number was just below 6%.

The majority of our Gen Z respondents made it very clear: they won’t go out of their way to watch the games, but if it’s on and it’s a sport they enjoy, they might watch.

Similarly, their top reason for watching the Olympics was simply a love of competitive sports.

 

Hang Loose 

In case you missed it, the IOC approved five (well, technically six) new sports for this year's games. Some of these sports- surfing, skateboarding, karate, and sport climbing- will be making their Olympic debut in Tokyo. While baseball/softball will be returning after a brief hiatus.

With the inclusion of these new sports, we wanted to know what people were most excited to watch.

To our surprise, we found that the overwhelming majority of respondents were looking forward to watching surfing above all. And unsurprisingly, baseball wasn’t far behind- it looks like fans are ready for the game to make its Olympic return.

Unfortunately, skateboarding and sport climbing saw little-to-no love, as both were firmly planted at the bottom of our list. But we have a feeling that might change once people get the chance to give them a try.

Happy watching!

 

And Their Implications for Consumer Insights Leaders

Four weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic and much has already been said about consumer behavior. However, not much has been reported about the psychology of people- their fears, hopes, stress management skills, and maybe, most importantly, the way they view the road ahead.

So, what’s to come after this is all over? What ‘normal’ will consumers go back to?

The following study was done across many industries, exploring the state of mind of those of us, sorry, all of us staying at home. It explores how this situation impacts our discoveries, health, coping, education, and consumption patterns. Responses were captured from 1,000 U.S. based consumers, representative of the general population.

 

1. General Consumer Comfort Levels for Social Activities

When it comes to the concern of contracting Coronavirus, 66% of respondents reported being either concerned or really concerned. When asked about their mental health, consumers rated their stress and anxiety levels an average of 5.9 out of 10. 

We then asked for their feedback in the following scenario: "when the CDC, Health Officials, and the Government announce that it is SAFE to stop social distancing and resume to our (new) normal lives, assuming your income is intact, we would like to ask you about the comfort you would feel with the following activities..."

Respondents were asked on a 5-point scale from Disagree to Agree to what extent they would be comfortable engaging in various activities.

I would feel comfortable going to/riding/flying, etc.

Gatherings of family and friends followed by going to restaurants and bars were the two activities that respondents reported they would feel most comfortable to resume once health officials announce it’s safe to do so.

As expected, activities that include large(er) crowds- like going to casinos, live concerts, or attending sporting events- were at the bottom of the comfortability list for the general U.S. population. While the level of discomfort remains consistently high across all age categories, younger respondents, ages 18 to 38 (Gen Z and Millennials), tended to report anywhere between 3% to 10% higher comfort levels.

Consumer Insight Implications:  Target younger segments and small group events.

If your business involves a group setting, explore offerings you can provide to younger audiences, to the extent your business model allows it. Similarly, see what you can offer for small group events and gatherings.

 

2. Brand Advertising and Outreach

When we asked consumers if they think it is appropriate for brands to be advertising their products and services during this time, 61% thought it was appropriate, 32% felt ambivalent, and only 7% thought it was inappropriate. However, this is likely to evolve the longer the lockdown is in place. 

Diving in deeper: 

• 53% of consumers were interested in hearing about new product offerings
• 63% were interested to hear about any changes in pricing 
• 55% were interested to learn more about new delivery options or offerings.

Consistent with these findings, when asked “What do you think are some of the best things brands can do for their customers at this time?” approximately 35% of respondents wrote about a brand’s capability and willingness to offer products and services that fit within the price they can afford (e.g. lower prices, discounts, new offers, etc.), followed by 10% voicing the need for brands to have or develop delivery options.

Many of the remaining open-ended answers included themes around making sure that brands have their products available, take care of their employees, offer coupons or discounts, and provide good customer service.

Consumer Insight Implications: Follow-up with choice-based studies

Getting the optimal pricing and product offering has always been critical, but now more than ever. As consumers have become more sensitive, it is now crucial for consumer insights teams to identify price sensitivity across various population segments and identify optimal offerings and attributions.

There are two ways brands can address this: 

Conduct price sensitivity segmentation studies to include survey and/or CRM data.

OR

Conduct studies utilizing conjoint and max-diff experiments (ideally with an automated solution)

 

3. Alcoholic Beverage Shopping: A Time for Discovery

32% of respondents reported consuming more alcohol. Moreover, 29% reported shopping online for alcoholic beverages. Those on-line shoppers shared that they were shopping for both familiar and new products. Because, if you’re drinking more, wine not try something different?!

Consumer Insight Implications: What behaviors and products will stick?

On-line beverage shopping presents an opportunity for discovery, which is good news for the beverage industry. Perhaps it’s a coping mechanism, or maybe it’s the lack of access to bars and restaurants, coupled with newfound free time, that's facilitating some behavioral change.

As always, follow-up studies are key to digging into the why behind the changes we see. One insight only presents opportunities for more discovery and understanding of your segments.

 

4. Food: Potential New At Home Behaviors

Across all food categories (canned, perishable, frozen, shelf-stable, and bottled drinks) the results were more straightforward. In all categories, over 50% of consumers are still getting their products by physically going to a store.

The following three options for food purchasing were almost a tie across all categories: curbside pick-up from the store (13.8%), delivery through the store’s website(13.7%), and order from a website/app and shipped to your home (e.g. Amazon) (9%). 59% of consumers are still buying the same food items they were buying pre-COVID-19, but 25% of people were buying new items.

Consumer Insight Implications: What behaviors and products will stick?

Similar to the alcohol category, websites and apps are an increasingly viable option for grocery shopping. How many of these users are new to these apps? Will this behavior stick when they are more comfortable going out in public?

Finding out what items are being purchased, that weren’t before, could give some insights into how consumers are behaving at home and perhaps what new product ideas can meet those needs.

 

5. Health & Wellness

66% of respondents remain concerned about contracting the coronavirus in the upcoming three months. 50% report they are not likely to see their doctor in the next 4 weeks for routine check-ups for ongoing conditions or regular visits.

When we asked respondents to select all the activities that are helping them manage stress, watching movies was the most common activity (67%), followed by staying connected to family and friends (57%), and snacking (44%).

Lastly, 53% of respondents reported being comfortable with Telehealth/Telemedicine, suggesting that this trend will only continue to grow in popularity. 

This is another data point that begs the question: what behaviors that were ‘corona-induced’ will take hold and maintain once the economy is back-up and running? 

Consumer Insight Implications: Connection while being entertained is paramount.

While the media and entertainment industry is currently struggling in this environment, content is still king. Consumers still want to engage but have alternative ways of doing so. A follow-up to explore the various categories of entertainment content, across various audience segments would be worthwhile.

Unsurprisingly, snacking is a major method of stress management, yet many are still trying to stay healthy by exercising. Good luck folks! And please share your tips if you manage to balance the two! But, the fact that two of the highest reported activities are "snacking" and "staying healthy" suggests that many people may be seeking healthy options for snacking that can help them both manage stress and stay healthy.

Telemedicine also seems here to stay, and it will become important to understand all the human drivers, motivations, and challenges when it comes to adopting it at scale.

 

6. It is Time for Education

During troubling economic times, those who can afford it, tend to explore expanding their education and professional development to strengthen their resumes.

In the interest of better understanding the state of consumers’ career development, we asked “are you interested in pursuing further education/professional learning in the next 12 months?”

Slightly over 39% expressed a form of interest in either online or on-site learning. And 44% reported having a strong interest to start further education as a direct result of the current pandemic.

Consumer Insight Implications: The trend of online education will continue to accelerate. But the question remains: How fast and in what areas? 

While there will be greater opportunities to develop relevant educational content, it will be important to segment and find your optimal users. The online experience will need to be one that meets the consumer where they are and with whatever topics they deem interesting.

 

7. Environment & Electric Vehicles

Prior to COVID-19, significant conversations were already happening in all industries around sustainability, the environment, and how to change the behavior of everyday consumers to become more environmentally friendly.

One of the leading categories remains to be electric vehicles. Unfortunately, 77% of respondents reported not being willing to buy an all-electric car if they needed to purchase one. The three biggest reasons preventing them from buying a car were:

1) Too expensive (52%)
2) No place to charge in my area (39%)
3) The car’s range on a single charge (33%)

However, the fourth reason people didn’t own an electric vehicle was that they didn’t have enough knowledge to feel comfortable purchasing one (32%).

Consumer Insight Implications: Educate the masses. 

Changing consumer perceptions on electric cars still has a long road ahead. Pricing remains the number one challenge, whether it’s valid or not. But as the responses show, the onus now may be on the electric vehicle manufacturers to increase their educational outreach.

Only time will tell how we all, as consumers, will respond once we find ourselves back out in the economy- in whatever form that may take. The only thing we are certain of now is that we are uncertain.

So, we research. We engage people, ask questions, and do our best to understand with the hope we can offer educated guesses as to what the future holds.

In the meantime, stay safe, healthy, and reach out if we can help you navigate and understand this current environment and prepare for what's to come.

United Talent Agency (UTA), one of Hollywood's top major talent agencies conducted a consumer study on "Media and Entertainment in the Time of Coronavirus" that found, among other things...

90% of concertgoers have sought to replace the live music experience while under “safer at home” restrictions in the time of COVID-19

UTA IQ, the agency’s data and analytics group, teamed up with market research platform SightX to produce the 56-page study, surveying nearly 1,100 respondents.

UTA says in the study’s overview, "But we also sought to put numbers and facts behind what we believe inherently: that entertainment content emerges as a critical beacon in dark times. It is indeed an ‘essential service’ when factoring the mental and emotional toll that social isolation has taken on nearly every American."

The study returns significant takeaways about the live music landscape, revealing a strong shift toward a wide array of virtual events, with more than one in four saying they’ve already attended a virtual concert, movie night or watch party, fitness class, masterclass or university course and/or a virtual event or conference.

A majority (55%) of live music fans say they are streaming catalogue content from their favorites and 48% of those say the have watched footage of old concerts and other performances. Particularly among the 25-and-under demographic and women, 49% of concertgoers have watched content on social media to fill the void.

46% have turned to livestreaming, and 28% of those have paid to watch a livestream. 25% of the general population have already participated in a virtual/livestreamed concert, and 37% of the general population say they plan to participate in a livestreamed concert.

Significantly, approximately 7 in 10 concert attendees who participated in a livestream concert during this time of social distancing say they plan to continue doing so even after live music events return.

One finding of concern to the live business is that while most concert-going consumers say they miss live, fewer than half say they plan to go to a concert or music festival of any size within the first month of eased stay-at-home regulations.

But it also could signal a time of opportunity. "This hunger for live music, coupled with hesitation regarding future concert-going, sets the stage for accelerated innovation in live music," the study finds.

Respondents, perhaps unsurprisingly, are seeking out comedy- which bodes well for comedians returning to live performance, and should serve as a guidepost for those considering live streaming events in the meantime, with 40% of respondents saying they would like to see livestreamed, stand-up comedy.

Among the study’s conclusions: "Prior to COVID-19, the appetite for virtual concerts was limited. Now, optimizing the virtual experience may be critical to the future of live music. Music tech companies have quickly begun to legitimize the livestream business through ticketing and offering community-based features that hope to replicate the shared experience of attending a live event."

For the full report, click here.

For additional COVID-19 related research from SightX ,  see our study on consumer psychology or learn more about how consumer behavior is shifting across industries. .