The NFL season concludes in less than a month, and with it comes another round of Super Bowl commercials.
Companies will empty their pockets for a 30-second spot during the big game, and historically, it’s been a big draw, especially for people tuning into the game for the social aspect.
We’ve seen plenty of memorable ads that become talking points or even creep into meme territory. Think E*Trade’s talking babies commercials, Betty White starring in a Snickers ad, or just about any Budweiser commercial during the game.
But is that still the case today?
We released a survey to investigate whether Super Bowl commercials have the same appeal as in years past. Here’s a closer look at what we found.
Most viewers are tuning in for the football game
Everyone watches for different reasons, as each viewer has a different level of fandom. Some only care if their team is in the game, while others aren’t viewing strictly because of the action on the field.
- 44.5% of people watch the Super Bowl for the football game.
- 26.83% tune in to the game for the memorable commercials.
- 22.67% note that their attention is specifically on the halftime show.
- 6% indicate that they watch in a social setting and don’t care about football or commercials at all.
Super Bowl commercials are memorable
It wasn’t even close.
When asked if they consider Super Bowl advertisements memorable, a whopping 90.5% of survey participants said yes, while just 9.5% said no.
At least a handful of Super Bowl commercials go viral each year, making the rounds on social media during and even in the days following the game.
About half of the survey respondents (50.17%) said they actively seek out and watch Super Bowl commercials after the game concludes. And 52.33% say they remember commercials from last year’s big game.
For instance, we saw actors Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reenact their Breaking Bad days in an advertisement for PopCorners. Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, and Martha Stewart also appeared in a lighter commercial for BIC. Whether it’s A-list celebrities or a hilarious chain of events, a few always remain memorable.
78.67% of people noted that they remember Super Bowl commercials from more than a year ago.
Feelings haven’t changed much for the commercials over time
Super Bowl commercials have always been popular. And that hasn’t changed this year.
- 64.67% of people say they have always had the same feelings about them
- 22.17% say they care more about Super Bowl commercials now than ever before
- 13.17% indicated they care less than in the past
Are Super Bowl commercials persuasive?
In other words, after viewers see an ad, do they go and buy the product? At the very least, do they check out the company website or see if it might interest them?
Simply put, it’s mixed. 57.67% of respondents say that Super Bowl commercials “sometimes” impact their purchasing decisions. 27.83% said not at all, while 14.5% said “often.”
Are Super Bowl commercials worth the price?
Super Bowl commercials officially crossed the $1 million mark back in 1995. Since then, the price has only gone up.
It’s a pretty penny just for less than a minute of airtime. But it’s great exposure for the brands that have pockets deep enough.
According to Statista, the average cost of a Super Bowl commercial in 2023 was $7 million. In 2022, that mark was at $6.5 million. Between 2017 and 2021, the cost was at least $5 million each year.
It’s smart to assume that 2024’s average price for a quick advertisement during the country’s biggest football game will be higher than $7 million. Based on how figures change year-to-year, the average cost could be somewhere in the neighborhood of $7.2 million and $7.5 million. And that’s being conservative.
But is it worth it?
66.5% of the survey participants think so. The remaining 33.5% said the price was too high and it was not worth it.
Last year, 115 million people watched the Super Bowl. There’s a chance that 2024’s game tops that mark, too. Talk about good exposure.
Who participated in the Super Bowl survey
Our survey received 600 total responses from a variety of age ranges.
- 26% of the participants were between the ages of 25 and 34
- 28% were between 35 and 44 years old
- 18.5% of the survey respondents were between 45 and 54
- 27.5% were older than 54 years old
Of the 600 responses gathered, 51.83% of them came from female participants. Men accounted for 47.17%.
It’s important to note that 82.67% of people indicated that they consider themselves football fans. The remaining 17.33% did not.
67% of respondents said they watch the Super Bowl every year and have not missed a single one. 33% said they sometimes watch, but mainly for entertainment.
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