As viewership for the Super Bowl has been steadily declining since 2015 & 30-second commercial slots are now averaging at upwards of $5.2 million, many companies are beginning to wonder whether or not it is really worthwhile to spend so much money to be featured during the big game & not even attain a sufficient amount of targeted coverage. Super Bowl LIII reeled in just 98.2 million viewers, a significant drop from the 111.3 million viewers in 2017. This staggering statistic, coupled with the actual cost that’s required for creating a Super Bowl-worthy advertisement, which is approximately $30 million, leaves the business world of promotion with the following question: are Super Bowl ads really worth it anymore?
This year’s game had advertising intervals filled with messages from Super Bowl veterans, like T-Mobile, Pepsi, & Bud Light, but also welcomed in some newbies such as Mint Mobile & Expensify. While some game-goers look forward to the humorous &/or heartwarming commercial breaks, it is difficult to quantify whether or not these ads actually reach the right audiences, which companies are hoping will subsequently become their consumers.
Steeply decreasing viewership numbers, rising advertising & production costs, & an age of marketing rapidly moving towards digitization & social media all make for a simple answer to the burning question of an age-old tradition of Super Bowl commercials: it’s really not worth it anymore! My prediction: look out for tons of ads on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook for the next Super Bowl promotion cycle.