I have a love/hate relationship with Super Bowl commercials. Some of them can be really fun and I like to see which car companies reveal new cars. However, as a lifelong football fan, I hate it when people come to the Super Bowl party just to talk during the game, but shut up to watch the commercials. Then, when the game starts up again, they talk at a surprisingly high volume about the latest commercials they just saw seconds ago. It’s my nightmare. This year, it will be even worse because there won’t even be many car ads to give me comfort.
Why are so many brands ditching Super Bowl ads this year? In accordance with CNBC, most automakers are prioritizing investments in electric vehicles over advertising. Kantar Media, the London-based marketing analytics firm, says a 30-second Super Bowl ad spot costs $6.5 billion by 2023. And that’s just for the time slot, without forget the millions more spent on making the commercial itself. When automakers are spending billions on electric vehicle development, spending millions more on a single ad might seem reckless.
CNBC also reported that according to Eric Haggstrom, director of business intelligence at Advertiser Perceptions, supply chain issues have also had a big impact, leading to lower sales and tighter inventories.
Only four car companies will release ads during this year’s big game: GM, Kia, Ram and Jeep. Porsche will air an ad before the Super Bowl, in partnership with Paramount. WeatherTech will also continue its ten-year streak of Super Bowl ads, the longest streak of any automotive-based brand. But brands like Toyota, Hyundai and Ford, which normally join in the fun, have opted to sit out this year.
In previous years, auto companies were the biggest Super Bowl commercial spenders, having spent $99.3 million last year, and the second largest industry (film, television, web ) spent $70.5 million. This year, that number could be closer to the 2021 Super Bowl, where the auto industry spent $66 million (which was still the most money spent that year).
So if you were hoping to see a ton of car ads between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles drives, you might be disappointed this year. And if you have too many annoying relatives for a Super Bowl party, talking during the game, hopefully you have another room in the house with a TV you can sneak into, so you can scream about missed calls in peace.
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