Some fans tune into the Super Bowl to cheer on their favorite team in the pursuit of a touchdown, while others wait for the 15-minute-long concert from their favorite artist during the halftime show. No matter what viewers tune in for, one thing unites them all: commercials.
In 2023, Super Bowl LVII set a record for the most watched program in history with an estimated 200 million viewers. Because of the viewership, ad time is highly sought after by companies who want to take advantage of the increased attention their commercial will receive.
A spot for a 30-second ad during this year’s Super Bowl was sold for $7 million, which is similar to last year’s price. This is a huge increase from the first Super Bowl in 1967, where the same 30-second slot was sold for $37,500 (equivalent to $349,634.50 in current dollars).
The cost doesn’t stop there. To get viewers to pay attention to their commercials, companies shell out even more money to contract big celebrities and create the most memorable experience for their audience. They want to be remembered the next day, making this financial contribution worth it.
A large number of viewers (around 43%) tune in to the Super Bowl specifically for the commercials. These excited viewers then discuss these commercials with those around them in person and on social media, acting as free advertising for these companies to those who missed the Super Bowl.
This year, there were 59 commercials featured during the Super Bowl. Among these are commercials from various industries: food, insurance, websites, technology, beauty, streaming and more.
Some commercials tugged on the audience’s heartstrings.
Google’s commercial “Javier in Frame” highlighted the “guided frame” on the new Google Pixel 8, featuring a man dealing with blindness who uses the feature of the phone to capture photos of important life moments as he grows his family.
Dove’s “Hard Knocks” commercial focused on body confidence in young female athletes, reminding viewers “[t]he knocks don’t stop girls playing sports, low body confidence does.” This commercial is part of Dove’s “Keep Her Confident” campaign, encouraging young women and girls to love themselves.
Other commercials intrigued the audience with a surplus of celebrity cameos.
Dunkin’s commercial “The DunKings” features Ben Affleck showing Jennifer Lopez “what [he] can do.” During Affleck’s performance, Tom Brady, Matt Damon, Jack Harlow and Fat Joe make their appearances.
Stars Bradley Cooper, Laura Dern, Jennifer Hudson, Common, Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams come together in T-Mobile’s “Auditions” commercial to (badly) audition for Magenta Status. Luckily, T-Mobile reminds customers there is no need to audition to be treated like a VIP.
Some commercials were simply entertaining, remaining in the minds of viewers because of the fun experience.
E.l.f., the popular makeup brand, used their time slot to make a spin-off of “Judge Judy” called “Judge Beauty.” During this commercial, Judge Judy finds the defendant guilty of over-spending on makeup products and instead gives the woman e.l.f.’s Halo Glow Liquid Filter. The ad uses Judge Judy’s crude humor and a star-studded jury to tell viewers e.l.f. is affordable and cruelty-free.
Other examples of these commercials include: CeraVe’s “Michael CeraVe,” Hellmann’s “Mayo Cat,” Paramount+’s “Hail Patrick,” State Farm’s “Like a Good Neighbaaa” and the first look at the highly anticipated movie musical “Wicked.”
While these ads might seem silly and ineffective, studies show the 2023 Super Bowl commercials increased average product demand by 6.4%. The increased exposure and word-of-mouth advertising the companies gain from their Super Bowl ads contribute to this increase.
Super Bowl commercials serve as a win for companies who want their message out to a large audience, but also for Super Bowl viewers who look forward to a little fun while watching the big game.
