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McDonald’s, Visa Taking a Pass on Super Bowl XL

The close scrutiny on the creative side of Super Bowl ads is giving advertisers pause this year, making some less willing to advertise during the big game, writes Mediaweek. While in the past, the emphasis on terrific ads helped extend the already spectacular reach of Super Bowl advertising - with critiques, consumer polls such as the one in USA Today following the game, and even this year a VOD show consisting of just the ads - media buyers are saying that some advertisers “just don’t like it” this year.

 

In fact, according to the article, sources claimed McDonald’s had said that if its Lincoln Fry spot didn’t make the top 10 in the USA Today poll last year (it didn’t) it wouldn’t advertise in 2006. McDonald’s wouldn’t comment on the reason it is passing up the game in February.

Visa, a perennial advertiser for past Super Bowls, is also said to be skipping the game this year.

Besides the close creative scrutiny, another reason for advertisers to skip the game is that the Winter Olympics begins just five days later, for a significantly lower price tag: a 30-second spot during the Olympics sells for about $700,000, while an ad of the same length during the Super Bowl goes for $2.4 million, sources say.