Super Bowl commercials keep costing more and more — but companies are still willing to pay up.
Most 30-second ad spots cost between $6 million and $7 million, Fox Sports told the Associated Press this week. A few sold for more than $7 million. That doesn't include the cost of making the ads in the first place; elaborate, star-studded commercials aren't cheap.
Despite the high price tag, in-game ads for Super Bowl LVII were sold out by Monday, Feb. 6. A vast majority of those were spoken for by the end of the summer.
The cost is high, but companies are willing to pay top dollar for a chance to capture viewers' attention at the biggest sporting event of the year. More than 100 million people are expected to tune in, making the Super Bowl an advertising opportunity like no other.
A bit of history: According to Business Insider, ad spots for the first Super Bowl in 1967 cost $37,500 — about $338,000 in current dollars. The average price tag hit $1 million by the mid-90s.
So who are the companies buying up ad time for this year's Super Bowl? You can expect plenty of commercials for booze, snacks, cars, entertainment and technology. One big shift from last year: Cryptocurrency companies are expected to sit this one out.
Despite giving up its exclusive ad deal, beverage giant Anheuser-Busch is still the biggest advertiser in 2023 with three minutes of national airtime. However, the floodgates have opened for other booze brands: You can expect to see commercials for everything from Coors to cognac.
Most advertisers are keeping it lighthearted this year, using humor, catchy songs and celebrity appearances to catch your attention. Melissa McCarthy, Miles Teller, Adam Driver, Serena Williams, Anna Faris and even Sarah McLachlan — spoofing her own oft-parodied animal advocacy ad — will promote everything from hotel booking to avocados.