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Super Ad Bowl
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January 10, 1997: 8:26 p.m. ET
Another Madison Avenue bonanza set for the big TV event of the year
From Correspondent Irv Chapman
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BASKING RIDGE, N.J. (CNNfn) - Who plays in next weekend's Super Bowl may mean everything to the teams' fans. Advertisers, however, don't care at all.
No matter who plays the game, advertisers are committed to spend $1.2 million for each 30-second commercial. That's $40,000 a second. But the time on Fox Sports is booked solid.
"The Super Bowl has become a showcase for the best of the best in advertising," said Stephen Grubbs, executive vice president of BBDO in New York. "I think it's one of the few events, maybe the only TV event of the year, where people actually enjoy the ads." (358K WAV) (358K AIF)
More than 45 percent of the nation's TV households tune in on Super Bowl Sunday, a population that includes millions of upscale viewers who aren't TV regulars.
Another draw for advertisers? The competition will be there. Coca-Cola and Pepsi will resume their rivalry; Fila athletic wear will go head-to-head with Nike; and MCI will try to win over many of the 85 million AT&T customers who may be watching. (1.47M QuickTime Movie)
AT&T's Mark Siegel said, "This is a volatile industry where people change carriers a lot. Here's a way to persuade them to stay with AT&T, and - for those customers who may be with other carriers - come with us." (135K WAV) (135K AIF)
Honda, Nissan, Porsche, General Motors... the car companies will be jockeying for position just as their drivers do during rush hour.
It's easy to see the draw for advertisers: Super Bowls account for 10 of the 20 highest-rated television events of all time.
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