Commercials are an important part of sports, as major sporting events attract millions of viewers, making them a perfect opportunity for companies to advertise. When people watch football, basketball or other sports, they often see commercials promoting products, upcoming games or community events.
These advertisements help support sports teams and the businesses connected to them. Junior Henry Jacobs, who regularly watches sports explained the influence of these ads. “When I’m watching games, I definitely notice the commercials, sometimes they introduce me to products or brands I didn’t know about before,” Jacobs said.
The way commercials present themselves and the timing of them can connect to communities. Whether it’s a catchy jingle or is constantly replayed, commercials have the potential to connect more than just buyers. During November 2022, Burger King released a commercial that was an advertisement for their customizable Whopper, burgers that could be made “your way.” The song, with the lyrics “Whopper, Whopper, Whopper, Whopper, Junior, Double, Triple, Whopper,” was so popular that it became ubiquitous, reaching over 1 billion social media impressions and resulted in a 99% brand recall rate, according to the Netty Awards.
But the timing was also noticed. Because the ad was played so much, fans would watch their team lose and hear the jingle during commercial breaks, causing a humorous annoyance. Sophomore Kamran Vahedi said that watching the Washington Commanders play, and lose, in the 2022 season was hard enough. “It would be so frustrating to watch them and then hear that stupid commercial again, just a different commercial would have been better,” Vahedi said.
Sophomore Matthew Caban agrees with Vahedi, saying, “I would also be annoyed and that commercial would just make it worse.”
Another example of a commercial unifying students, is the famous “Jake from State Farm” ad campaign by State Farm. Originally airing in 2011, and later revived with a new actor, the commercial was played a lot during NFL and NBA games, making it known by all students who watch. Because students were watching the same commercial no matter what sporting event they were tuned in on, the commercial created a similar shared experience as the Burger King commercials that had influence on and off the screen.
The commercial was so heavily liked that eventually the “Jake from State Farm” red state farm shirt and khakis uniform became a popular Halloween costume. “The ‘Jake from State Farm’ commercial is a classic, whether I am watching basketball or football it comes up always,” Caban said.
Commercials do more than just advertise, they create shared moments that students experience together, especially during major sporting events. Whether it’s the catchy Burger King song or the recognizable “Jake from State Farm” character, these ads become part of conversations in school hallways, group chats and friend groups. Companies like Burger King and State Farm may intend to sell products or services, but they also make common experiences that bring students together. Even when the reactions are ranging from enjoyment to frustration, those shared feelings help build connections.
