The following was done by colleague Scott Huntington
The Super Bowl is a can’t-miss event every year. The game is just one part of the overall festivities. The commercials are also a major draw, with last year’s Super Bowl 52 costing advertisers about $5 million for a 30-second commercial. The lofty price makes sense, considering that the Super Bowl is very often the most-watched television event of the year.
In addition to the game itself and the accompanying commercials, the Super Bowl halftime show is a big deal. For this year’s Super Bowl, the 53rd installment, Maroon 5 will be performing at the halftime show. The decision is a safe one for CBS, which is broadcasting the upcoming Super Bowl.
Maroon 5 is known for pop songs that play it safe. Even safer than last year’s Justin Timberlake, who was at the center of “nipplegate” a decade ago. The band’s image is not ripe for controversy, especially since their song topics often deal with love instead of politics or suggestiveness. They are an act that can appeal widely and are likely to be heavily promoted in the lead-up to the Super Bowl.
Also, Maroon 5 remains relevant, recently collaborating with some big names. Their most recent hit was “Girls Like You,” with Cardi B. They also collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the track “Don’t Wanna Know.” These collaborations leave room for the possibility of a cameo, the potential of which can entice hip-hop fans disappointed over the selection of a safe pop/rock act.
The Risk of the Decision
Maroon 5 is a safe choice, with some lamenting that it’s too safe of choice in a city — Atlanta — rich with musical talent that is getting ignored. Still, there’s no denying that CBS is unlikely to deal with any controversy from the amiable band. Perhaps the only risk of picking Maroon 5 is that it may unintentionally promote rival NBC’s show “The Voice.” Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine stars on the show, so any new fans or attention gained from the performance may cause the millions of viewers to Google him, stumbling across “The Voice” in the process.
Despite potential recognition for “The Voice,” CBS is betting that Levine’s comfort in front of the camera will result in an enjoyable, safe show. For the network, safe success for the halftime show is worth the risk.
The Influence of Past Super Bowls
One of the reasons for CBS’s safe selection is the Super Bowl halftime show’s fairly controversial past. Several went wrong from a marketing perspective, with a particular incident overshadowing the game or quality of the performance.
Janet Jackson’s wardrobe mishap is among the most prominent. Despite how well Jackson handled the split-second incident, with numerous producers praising her for quick-thinking, most of the buzz surrounding the Super Bowl after it ended was about the incident. Jackson is a veteran performer, so her experience played a role in deterring complete disaster. It’s hard to think that Maroon 5 would do anything similar.
The network will also learn from past mistakes, like in 2016 for Super Bowl 50. Coldplay performed well, though the accompanying lighting show was a subpar experience. It was done in daylight, causing some lighting effects to not work effectively. Color in lighting plays a large role in mood and live reactions to a show, impacting the excitement of the crowd. No matter how good the music is, there’s just something less-exciting about seeing a band perform in broad daylight. Atlanta will be dark at halftime, giving the creative department a lot more freedom.
Other instances contribute to the network’s willingness to play it safe. In 2012, British/Sri-Lankan singer M.I.A. gave the camera the middle finger in place of a profanity in her song lyrics. Since then, networks have taken a stronger approach to prevent such an unpredictable occurrence.
Maroon 5 is likely to put on an enjoyable show, though there’s no doubt their selection represents a safe choice for CBS.
