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The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events of the year.
Even those who are not avid football watchers or fans of the NFL can find something to enjoy on the big night, whether that be the halftime show where Kendrick Lamar is performing this year or the big-budget advertisements shown during breaks in the game.
Why do companies want to advertise at the Super Bowl?
Because of how many people watch the event every year — last year’s game had an estimated audience of 123.7 million — the Super Bowl has become the holy grail for advertisers.
“Even though a Super Bowl advertising campaign might not pay immediately in hard dollars and cents, if a business can afford to produce one of these stellar spots, they stand to earn new customers and build awareness on a scale unmatched by other outlets,” Peter Koeppel, founder and president of marketing agency Koeppel Direct said in 2019.
“Good or bad, though, impactful Super Bowl ads are the ones that are getting talked about. What a marketer can’t afford is an ad that completely fails to deliver. Because the Super Bowl is also sort of a Super Bowl of marketing, the competition is fierce – the commercials have to be memorable for them to pay off in the long run.
“An ad that doesn’t give viewers something, for better or worse, won’t be a profitable one,” he continued.
What kind of brands get Super Bowl commercials and what are the rules?
Brands were ready for the massive turnout, as Fox Sports revealed in September 2022 that it had already nearly sold out its commercial inventory. At the time, Mark Evans, executive vice president of ad sales for Fox Sports, estimated that Fox had five or fewer 30-second spots left to fill, according to Variety.
This year, Super Bowl LIX will be on Fox and streaming on Hulu + Live TV, Tubi, YouTube TV, NFL +. In November 2023, the Hollywood Reporter reported that the network had sold out all of its Super Bowl commercial time slots, and had wanted $7 million for one 30-second long ad.
However, the 30-second limit hasn’t stopped brands from bending the rules before. Back in 2021, Reddit spent its entire ad budget on the shortest-ever Super Bowl commercial.
The social media and news platform’s commercial lasted for just five seconds and urged viewers to pause their TVs to read it.
How much do Super Bowl ads cost this year?
The price of ad spots in this year’s Super Bowl went for $8 million and up for just 30 seconds, according to AP News. Mark Evans, Fox Sports’ executive vice president for ad sales, said 2025 ad space sold out back in November 2024.
Evans said there will be more ads with a focus on AI this year along with the usual food and drink favorites. What’s more, Super Bowl fans should expect to see fewer movie teasers and a lot more pharmaceutical companies’ promotions.
Super Bowl LIX will be played at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 9.
