How much do Super Bowl commercials cost and why they're so expensive

09 February 2024 , 12:46

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Companies spend millions to advertise during the Super Bowl (Image: Getty Images)

Getting an advertising slot during the Super Bowl is a dream for many companies as the event is among the most watched on the planet and can be an opportunity to cash in quite a lot.

Last year, an estimated 113million viewers tuned in for the event, according to average audience estimates. This year, hundreds of millions are expected to watch the major events with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the San Francisco 49ers.

While everyone tunes in to watch the action on the field, other key parts of the Super Bowl are the halftime show which sees superstars perform in front of the audience, as well as the commercials. Huge brands shell out millions for a coveted advertising slot, with a 30-second commercial costing a staggering amount of money.

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Commercials are not just seen on the night of the game but also get advertised online (Getty Images)

With a lot of competition, the ad has to stick out and a lot of time and money goes into making a groundbreaking piece of viewing. In 2023, a 30-second Super Bowl commercial costs a record-high average of $7million (£5.5million), according to Forbes.

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The cost has been increasing in recent years, meaning this year companies might have to fork out even more money to secure an advertising slot. In 2022, a 30-second commercial slot during the Super Bowl was $6.5million (£5.15million), which was an increase from the $5.5million (£4.35million) asked for in 2021.

In previous years, the prices were:

• 2020: $5.6million (£4.4million)
• 2019: $5.3million (£4.2million)
• 2018: $5.2million (£4.1million)
• 2017: $5million (£4.75million)
• 2016: $4.5million (£3.5million)
• 2015: $4.25 million (£3.3million)

But companies cannot use the name Super Bowl in their ads and instead they have to refer to the event as the "Big Game". This is because the term has been a registered National Football League (NFL) trademark since 1969, requiring commercials, radio hosts and other specific media personnel to pay to use the official name.

During the first-ever Super Bowl in 1967, the price for a commercial was far lower than it is today. Super Bowl I between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs only aired on two networks, NBC and CBS, which charged different amounts.

Both networks wanted $42,000 (£33,245) for a 30-second spot, while NBC charged $75,000 for a 60-second ad and CBC put the price at $85,000 (£67,285). By 1975, the price for a 30-second ad had gone up to $107,000 (£84,700), then five years later it was $222,000 (£175,700).

Then came a huge jump up to $525,000 (£415,600) in 1985, $700,400 (£554,420) in 1990 and a whopping $1.15million (£900,000) in 1995. Some of the most iconic Super Bowl commercials actually aired in the early years, such as Coca-Cola's 'Hey Kid, Catch!' in 1979 and the 1984 Apple commercial based on the dystopian George Orwell novel, 1984.

The Super Bowl is broadcast in over 180 countries in more than 30 languages - and is the most-watched television broadcast in the US every year. The viewing figures in the US usually stick around the 100 million mark, with the NFL reporting that an estimated 208 million-plus viewers watched around the globe.

And the commercials don't just get watched on the night, as they get increased publicity in the following days and weeks. Many of them go viral on social media and cause a buzz online and in the news, so there's way more attention on them than just the 30 seconds companies pay for.

Chiara Fiorillo