Super Bowl Commercials: What Really Works? Introduction. 1. Introduction. Once a year almost the entire American population sits down to watch the same program, the Super Bowl. But they're also watching dozens of brand new commercials. The commercials they are watching are produced by the best and brightest in the industry using immense amounts of money. With a record average of $2.2 million per 30-second spot, 25% more than commercials in 1999, each commercial is very special, or at least it should be.( ) Research shows that commercials in Super Bowls are recalled at more than double the rate of commercials air during "normal" prime time programming. ( ) And with 58 commercials scheduled, it's important to be special, creative and original. After all, it would be a colossal waste of money if viewers turned sponsors' free time into opportunities to go to the refrigerator and go to the bathroom. Superbowl ads cost $165 million to make and display. ( ) ABC estimates that 130,745,000 people watched the game, making it the fifth largest audience for any telecast. The 1999 Super Bowl game, broadcast on Fox, was watched by 127.5 million. ( ) Commercials that air during the Super Bowl can generate almost as much attention as football itself. If the game fails to be comparative early on, there can be a significant drop in viewership. Advertisers whose commercials air in the fourth quarter of a lopsided game may suffer the same defeat as the losing team. However, the opposite can also be true. If the game is close, no one will go anywhere and more people will see the commercials. Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study is to determine whether it is financially feasible for Super Bowl advertisers to pay for high-cost commercials shown during prime time. The Super Bowl telecast typically draws the largest TV audience of the year and has also become a showcase for advertising, allowing the network that airs it to charge seemingly endlessly escalating prices. For millions of people, half the fun of watching the Super Bowl is the commercials. But do people really pay attention to what is advertised or do they just watch commercials to find out if they are funny? The study will focus on audience loyalty and advertising effectiveness. This study will be a valuable tool for companies looking to advertise during future Super Bowl events.