What's the Big Deal About the Super Bowl?

By Kaitlin Villanova

Who would have known that the same sports event with 30,000 empty seats in 1967 would eventually become the most watched, most anticipated, most expensive event in the world of television advertising? Today, with more than 750 million viewers around the world, advertisers pay upwards of $2 million for a 30-second spot.

According to TNS Media Intelligence, over the past 20 years Super Bowl advertising totaled 682 minutes, that’s over 11 hours of commercial time. During those 11 hours, over 200 different advertisers bought more than 1,400 spots and spent $1.72 billion in network advertising sales.

The hottest commercial this year? It may be for Bud Light, starring Jay-Z and former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula. Watch as the two men engage in a chess-like high tech football game that uses holographic imagery. The Bud spot is part of Jay-Z's new partnership with St. Louis-based brewer Anheuser-Busch as co-brand director for Budweiser Select.

My favorite from last year (and Will and Barbara’s as well) is the FedEx Caveman commercial still available on YouTube.

The newest ANA title The Super Bowl of Advertising: Are the Advertisers Still Winning the Game? by Bernice Kanner (who recently passed unexpectedly) takes you through a number of case studies from dozens of advertisers over the years. It includes an ROI analysis of Super Bowl advertising effectiveness, and a historical perspective of the evolution of successful marketing campaigns.

Go Bears!