Super Bowl: Ads vs Football

Super Bowl is probably known more for advertising than for the game of American football itself. Dan Hanzus justifies why on the NFL website in his article called CBS reportedly asking $3.8M for Super Bowl ad spot. These ads are insanely expensive, this is why!

Suzanne Vranica of WSJ explains why companies pay this record price in her article Costly Super Bowl Ads Pay Publicity Dividend. First, the reach of the game is huge. There were more than 111 million people who watched the game last year. Second, the game attracts free media attention, sometimes even before the game starts.

Companies definitely get even more free publicity after the game finishes. With some many rankings of Super Bowl ads, a company can be sure that ads, successful or not succesful, will go viral and will be discussed until next Super Bowl. One of these rankings includes USA Today Ad Meter, which this year celebrated its 25th anniversary. According to Ad Meter, the most successful commercial this year was a 60 sec (think $3.8M x 2) Budweisers Clydesdale commercial.