Super Bowl Ad Rush: Tech Platforms Buckle Under High Traffic

Following high-profile advertising campaigns during the Super Bowl, several technology companies encountered technical issues with their platforms. These problems primarily involved system overloads due to high user traffic.

Salesforce and MrBeast: $1 Million Treasure Hunt Sees Email Delays

Salesforce partnered with content creator MrBeast for a Super Bowl ad that offered a $1 million prize through an online treasure hunt. Some participants reported delays in receiving registration emails. Salesforce stated the glitch resulted from an "overwhelming response" and collaborated with email providers to resolve it.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff noted over 53 million visits to the campaign's landing page. A Salesforce spokesperson later confirmed that the email issue affected a small user subset and was quickly resolved.

Salesforce attributed registration email delays to an "overwhelming response," with their campaign landing page recording over 53 million visits. The issue was resolved and affected a small user subset.

AI.com Faces 'Insane Traffic' After High-Profile Debut

An ad for AI.com, a new platform launched by Crypto.com cofounder Kris Marszalek, aired during the fourth quarter, inviting viewers to visit its website. Social media users reported the site was down for a period after the ad aired.

Marszalek attributed the downtime to "insane traffic levels" and Google rate limits. The site was subsequently restored. Marszalek had acquired the AI.com domain for $70 million, reportedly the highest price ever paid for a domain.

AI.com's founder, Kris Marszalek, stated the website's downtime was due to "insane traffic levels" and Google rate limits following its Super Bowl ad.

Beyond Direct Ads: Kalshi's Overload and Industry Takeaways

Prediction market platform Kalshi also experienced delays with deposits and transfers on its app during the Super Bowl due to high traffic, despite not airing a direct Super Bowl ad itself. This highlights the broader impact of the event on digital infrastructure.

Super Bowl ad slots reached up to $10 million for 30 seconds of airtime. Loz Horner, a strategy partner at ad agency Lucky Generals, suggested that site crashes due to massive traffic can paradoxically be seen as beneficial for brands. He indicated it builds a perception of high demand and desirability.

In 2022, Coinbase experienced app crashes after its Super Bowl QR code ad but regarded it as a success, reporting 20 million landing page hits within a minute.

According to ad agency Lucky Generals, site crashes from massive Super Bowl traffic can paradoxically benefit brands by creating a perception of high demand and desirability.