Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, and so are brand new commercials.
And this year's batch is certainly expected to deliver with high-profile celebrities such as Cardi B, Christina Applegate, Jeff Bridges, among others slated to make special cameos. But it's going to cost companies a pretty penny to run them (we're talking millions).
Companies will have to fork over anywhere between $5.1 and $5.3 million for ads that run after kickoff, according to Variety. If you want a pre-game slot, then expect a bill that could run up to hundreds of thousands of dollars to more than $1 million — the price is determined by the timing.
That's a huge jump from the average price to run an ad during Super Bowl I in 1967, which was about $37,500, Nielson Media Research shows.
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In fact, the cost of running a 30-second add has become so pricey in recent years Coca-Cola reportedly decided to drop out of the running this year for a spot during the game itself. Instead, the soda giant plans to run a 60-second ad before kickoff, Stuart Kronauge, senior vice president of marketing for Coca-Cola North America, recently confirmed to Variety.
“We have a long history of using the country’s biggest advertising stage to share a message of unity and positivity, especially at times when our nation feels divided,” he said. “This year, we decided to place our ad just before the national anthem as Americans come together in their living rooms to remind everyone that ‘together is beautiful.”
Fortunately, some companies have already given fans a sneak peek at their star-studded ads. Here are a few to look out for.
Cardi B, Lil Jon and Steve Carell
Cardi B, Lil Jon and Steve Carell all make appearances in Pepsi's Super Bowl commercial.
The ad centers around Cardi B's signature phrase "o-kurrrr." The company said they'll use it help answer the often asked question, "Is Pepsi OK?"
“It’s what happens in real life a fair amount,” Greg Lyons, the company’s CMO for North American beverages, told Adweek. “We had a choice to embrace it and flip it on its head or to ignore it. We play it off as something consumers can really relate to, and we did it in a fun Pepsi way that really highlights and celebrates how great Pepsi is.”
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Pepsi has already caused significant buzz ahead of the championship game, and it's likely the ad played a big part in that.
The company had more than 51,600 mentions on social media on Thursday, according to analytics company Talkwalker, which said it appears Pepsi can declare victory over Coca-Cola (at least, for now).
"This aggressive campaign, and the SBLIII half-time buzz, seems to allow Pepsi to win both the mention battle (282,000 Pepsi mentions vs 181,000 Coke mentions) and the engagement battle (1,8 million Pepsi shares/retweets vs 1,5 million Coke shares/retweets in North America in the last 30 days)," Talkwalker told Fox News.
Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges may be reprising his iconic role as Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski in the Coen Brothers classic “The Big Lebowski." A short video he posted last implies it could happen — at least during the Super Bowl.
The actor posted a 15-second video to his Twitter account, where he appeared to be dressed as the character.
"Can't be living in the past, man. Stay tuned,” he captioned the post, though he didn't provide any further context.
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate is going to need all of her backseat passengers (M&Ms) to shut up. The actress will star as an annoyed driver in M&M's Super Bowl ad titled "Bad Passengers."
“Do I have to break you guys apart?” she asks her bickering candy passengers before coming to a halt and yelling, “Okay, that’s it: If you don’t stop, I will eat all of you alive right now!”
According to Eater, it's the first time the company has revealed a brand new candy — a chocolate bar with mini M&Ms inside — during the Super Bowl.
Jason Bateman
"Which floor?" Jason Bateman plays an elevator operator in Hyundai's Super Bowl commercial, which CNET confirms will air during the first quarter of the big game.
During the ad, several people enter the elevator as Bateman presses the buttons to go to various floors. Each time the door opens, people are directed toward cringeworthy scenes: such as a dentist operating or jury duty. Hyundai is hoping the commercial encourages car shoppers to use its Shopper Assurance program, where dealers can post the market price of vehicles online.
"We understand that shopping for a new car is typically something people don't look forward to," Dean Evans, chief marketing officer for Hyundai Motor America, said in a statement to CNET. "However, our dealers are using Shopper Assurance as a North Star in helping evolve and improve the retail experience. This year's Super Bowl spot communicates the program in a fun, lighthearted way that viewers will relate to."
Fox News' Chris Ciaccia and Madeline Farber contributed to this report.
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