Between the game itself, the unique commercials and the Halftime Show, the Super Bowl is arguably the most comprehensive television spectacle of the year. This year's Super Bowl continued the recent trend of setting television rating and viewership records, with 111.3 million people tuning in.
While greater access to televisions is certainly a major factor of this trend, the presence of a virtual water cooler like Twitter has completely changed the viewing dynamic, creating confidence that such ratings will persist. Aside from the site's impact on television ratings, Twitter also set personal records during the Super Bowl, including the simultaneous tweeting record of 12,233 tweets posted a second during the final three minutes of the game followed by the 10,245 posted during Madonna's halftime performance.
Twitter's influence on television is undeniable, so much so that it would not be a stretch to say that it has forever transformed television from the once passive medium that it was into the interactive social event that it currently is. Twitter anchors a current sweeping movement that has reinvigorated live televised events, such as the Super Bowl, which reigns supreme in the live television department.
The diverse features of the event have always prompted much debate over the game changing plays, the divisive halftime performance, and the collection of novel advertisements that garner as much attention as the game itself.
The event accommodates every need and interest, ensuring that everyone has something to say. In providing the unprecedented forum to do so, Twitter reveals this widespread desire to comment. More surprisingly, however, is that Twitter reveals that there is much consistency in the aspects of the game, commercials and the halftime performance that inspire and drive these tweets.
In terms of the game itself, those wishing to share insight had much company, given that the game featured two of the largest market NFL teams in New York and New England. These two teams have had their history of clashes, most recently when New York defeated New England in the Super Bowl of the 2007 season, a game that Tom Brady admitted he wished he could forget.
The rivalry fueled the passion for the influx of tweets posted during the game, such as responses to Mario Manningham's game saving catch, which necessitated four simultaneous replays on NBC. The play sent fans into a frenzy, as evidenced by Twitter's report that an average of 10,000 Tweets were posted per second during the minute after the play.
There was much to say before, during, and after the Madonna halftime performance as well, in which Twitter reports that an average of 8,000 Tweets per second were posted during the first five minutes of Madonna's performance. These tweets were prompted in part due to the infamous wardrobe malfunction, which has forever ensured increased scrutiny and interest into the halftime performance by, of course, Twitter users themselves.
Madonna's status as an iconic figure, one who has also been the subject of much praise and controversy, caused Twitter-verse to voice their jokes and ranging opinions.
"I hope she doesn't break a hip onstage," was actually one of the more newspaper-appropriate tweets that I came across. The issue of whether or not she was lip syncing also sparked debate, but not as much as the antics of British rapper M.I.A., who performed alongside Madonna.
M.I.A. provided a very worthy Twitter topic and national news when she blatantly flipped the bird to the camera.
Football fan or not, everyone has something to say in regard to the commercials. Even many football fans agree that the game itself typically disappoints. Thus, viewers highly anticipate filling this void with the novel collection of commercials. The $3.5 million that it costs for a 30-second time spot ensures that plenty of attention is placed on making these advertisements.
Twitter revealed an overwhelmingly negative critical reception to the collection of advertisements as a whole. There were certainly positive standouts such as an anthropomorphic dog for Volkswagen and Clint Eastwood for Chrysler, which even led some to assert that Eastwood should have received the Super Bowl MVP award.
As expected, the Super Bowl featured a few incredible plays, a controversial halftime performance, and a slew of advertisements that attempted to appeal to a very diverse crowd. Twitter, however, marks the first time that people can publicly react and respond to such consistencies, revealing the many emotions that people have developed for the aspects of the event.
Twitter's success during an event like the Super Bowl further legitimizes its capability and influence. Few if any other events include such diversity and dynamism in every aspect. . .just ask the 111.3 million viewers.
