For those of us who have watched the Super Bowl on a consistent basis for the last several years, we all know there is a third team playing their best game at the same time the 2 football teams are on the field. It’s the team of Super Bowl Commercials and they most likely have more fans than both teams combined.
Super Bowl commercials have become legendary over the years. They have established brands and have even marked the history of business trends. They are discussed for days afterwards, ranked against each other and even have their own TV shows where the hosts compare notes on why a certain commercial worked or didn’t work.
The cost of a Super Bowl commercial has long been the subject of urban legend, where would be experts proclaim to not only know exactly how much a 30-second commercial costs, but whether it was worth it for each business that participated.
What does the average company spend on advertising for the Super Bowl?
According to The Wall Street Journal, who received inside information from NBC, the cost for a 30 second ad during Super Bowl XLIX was roughly $4.5 million. That is up from $4 million last year. Most commercials are either 30 seconds or 60 seconds. 60 second ads are obviously twice as much as a 30 second ad. Commercials that run in the 1st and 4th quarter are most likely more expensive as those are the 2 quarters most viewed. It is also said that companies who buy more than one spot usually receive a discount of some sort.
Some companies, like Anheuser-Busch have spent millions upon millions of dollars each year in advertising during the Super Bowl and for one very good reason – viewership. Over 114 million people watched the most recent Super Bowl. This made it the most watched show in U.S. TV history. When you know you will have an audience of that size watching, it makes the price tag of the commercial seem much less relevant.
Was it worth it? Only time will tell. With that many people watching and with studies showing that each viewer, on average, will spend between $40-$110 on goods related to the Super Bowl, including food and drink, the numbers support the notion that indeed the high price tag for a commercial is worth it in the long run.
In the end, it’s all about getting the most bang for your buck. If you have an opportunity to reach a large portion of your target audience with a well thought out marketing strategy, take it. If you are having trouble identifying those opportunities, call Printing Solutions and let us help. 480-596-6300.