Super Bowl ads almost sold out

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CBSNFL has been the savior of NBC’s ratings this season, and even with GM bowing out this year, the average price for a 30-second spot has hit a record $3.8 million. CBS expects a sellout — and more than $225 million in revenue, according to The Hollywood Reporter.


CBS has “less than a handful of spots left” for ads during Super Bowl XLVII, with more than 95% of the total advertising inventory sold at a record average price of $3.8 million — and some at more than $4 million, said JoAnn Ross, president of network sales at CBS Television.

The average price is up from the $3.5 million NBC got last year. While Ross would not project how much revenue that will mean to CBS, she said it will be in excess of the $225 million that some have estimated.

CBS sells specific spots in the game and has a contingency plan with backup advertisers in case the game goes to overtime. The pregame and game are sold by the hour and half-hour to title sponsors. Those are all set, John Bogusz, EVP/sports sales and marketing at CBS told THR, with the exception of one half-hour in the pregame show, which is the subject of active discussions.

Of the top five Super Bowl advertisers during the past decade, only General Motors has not signed on for the Feb. 3 game in New Orleans. The others, in order of their ad spend, are Anheuser-Busch InBev, PepsiCo, the Walt Disney Co. and the Coca-Cola Co. Frito-Lay and Go Daddy will both be back, among others.

Those car ads will come roaring back after being stalled by the recession. “The automotive category is extremely healthy in the game, regardless of General Motors,” said Ross. Much of the slack has been taken up by Japanese and Korean automakers, including Hyundai.

See the Hollywood Reporter story here