Touchdown Top Moment During Super Bowl 50

The most-watched moment of Super Bowl 50 came when Broncos running back C.J. Anderson scrambled into the end zone giving Denver a 22-10 lead with three minutes left in the game, according to TiVo Research.

The data is based on second-by-second measurement of viewing by TiVo subscribers.

The No. 2 moment came when Super Bowl MVP Von Miller stripped Carolina quarterback Cam Newton of the ball with four minutes remaining. The third-most watched moment came during a replay showing Newton backing away from a lost fumble, rather than diving in to recover the ball.

For the sixth consecutive year, TiVo found viewership for the halftime show exceeding that of the overall game. The top moment from this year’s Coldplay-helmed halftime performance was exactly what many fans were eagerly anticipating – Beyoncé’s appearance. Based on data from the last eight years, Super Bowl 50’s halftime show ranked third behind 2012's featuring Madonna with LMFAO, MIA, Nicki Minaj, and CeeLo, and last year's performance by Katy Perry with Lenny Kravitz.

Among the Super Bowl commercials, TiVo Research put Doritos in the top spot. Here’s TiVo’s list of the top 10 ads.

1.       Doritos – Ultrasound

2.       Mountain Dew – PuppyMonkeyBaby

3.       Taco Bell Quesalupa – Bigger Than Everything

4.       Buick Cascada – That Convertible’s a Buick

5.       Pepsi – The Joy of Dance

6.       Marmot – Fall in Love with the Outside

7.       Apartments.com – MovingOnUp

8.       Bud Light – Raise One to Right Now

9.       Skittles – The Portrait

10.     Toyota Prius – Prius 4

TiVo Research made some observations about the spots that scored and those that didn’t:

  • While brands such as Doritos and Budweiser clung to spots on the top 10 list, there was a notable omission from this tier of insurance companies, among other big-name brand categories which have run commercials in past years.
  • Six of the top ten spots contained celebrities, from Steven Tyler to George Takei.
  • 14 spots were related to tech products or companies.

“Super Bowl 50 may not have been a nail-biter on the field, but the entire event is a bigger spectacle every year and fans around the world can’t seem to get enough,” said Tara Maitra, senior VP, general manager content & media sales at TiVo. “Ratings for the game and the price tag for 30-second ad spots may have risen as usual, but ads this year felt ‘safer’ and less edgy. Additionally, spots are created for splintered audiences on various social media platforms and for online promotion – diverting from the genres and traditions of past years.”

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.