Do you remember these expensive Super Bowl commercials?
While every year the fans are waiting for the next round of Super Bowl ads to debut, the companies know that the big bucks are about to rake in. Over 100 million people make up the average Super Bowl audience, and companies realize that this audience is absolutely worth the massive cost of advertising during the game.
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Year after year, every single slot of the Super Bowl commercials sell out, and for good reason. The return on investment for these commercials has proven strong: advertising works in a consumer-driven economy.
But with ads now reaching astronomical prices, how much is too much? And when will it be enough? Let's have a look at the 25 most expensive ads in the of the Super Bowl up until 2022.
Like everything, costs for running commercials during the Superbowl are increasing too. In 2024, brands will have to pay between $6.5-$7 million to the station alone for a 30-second advertisement. That's not to mention the sky-high production costs.
$7.53 million (2002)
With Britney Spears at the high point of her career, Pepsi took her on a space-time trip. Britney showed the musical style of different eras while promoting Pepsi.
$7.6 million (2013)
In a strange version of 'We are young' from 'Fun', a group of elderly people go out at night. They sneak into a pool, dance their hearts out at the disco and drink together. The key moment of the announcement, however, is when they go out for tacos together.
$8 million (2014)
Terry Crews and The Muppets together in an ad that was equally bizarre and hypnotic.
$8 million (2014)
In one of the most heart-warming ads of Super Bowl history, Microsoft spent one minute showing the day-to-day applications of technology to those who need it most. Prosthetic arms and legs, hearing aids... It was nearly impossible to watch this ad and not shed a tear.
$8 million (2015)
It took Kim Kardashian just 30 seconds to advocate personal data protection and trigger controversy at the same time. Many people did not like her sexualized image, but T-Mobile got its money's worth. The commercial dominated most conversations after the game in 2015.
$8 million (2014)
Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) himself was a valet who gave a couple the dilemma of keeping their car or trying out the new Kia. The ad ended with Morpheus, in the back of the car, singing Nessun Dorma and blasting the street, Matrix style.
$8 million (2014)
A classic of the most accurate and expensive advertising as Coca-Cola could not be missing in this ranking. In this case, they chose to leave aside the celebrities and focus on anonymous faces of a multicultural and multiracial North America. What does everyone have in common? Coca Cola. It is one of the most remembered ads.
$8 million (2014)
Mark Strong, Ben Kingsley and Tom Hiddleston star in this mini James Bond movie. They play three British villains who meet to plan their conquest of the world. Elegant and very British, Jaguar made its mark in the great American sports party with a spectacular one-minute commercial.
$10.2 million (2018)
This ad pitted Morgan Freeman against Peter Dinklage, supported by Missy Elliot and Busta Rhymes in a legendary rap battle. Undoubtedly one of the best Super Bowl ads of recent times.
$11.9 million (2018)
This 60-second preview of one of the biggest productions of 2018 was a tremendous investment. Mind you, the movie itself would end up grossing $1.3 billion, so the ad was actually a small expense.
$12 million (2014)
With very little difference from Chrysler, the beer brand invested 12 million dollars in a hidden camera ad with celebrities like Reggie Watts, Minka Kelly, Arnold Schwarzenegger and One Republic. For 90 seconds, until the end of the ad, the protagonist does not (seem to) know he or she is in the commercial.
$12.4 million (2011)
This expensive and memorable ad in Super Bowl history changed the life of the brand and the city of Detroit. Seeing Eminem driving a Chrysler 200 around the city not only marked the renewal of Chrysler but also increased sales by 50% and helped energize the Motor City's auto industry. The ad lasted two minutes.
$14.4 million (2016)
A group of criminals (all from the cast of 'The Wire') rob a bank and escape in a Toyota Prius. What follows is a chase that makes the news all over the world. Spoiler alert: by the time the commercial ends, the robbers have gotten away.
$14.9 million (2018)
One of the biggest companies in history, Amazon has three commercial in this list. The 2018 Super Bowl ad was a story of 90 seconds long in which Alexa, Amazon's virtual assistant, loses her voice and people like Gordon Ramsay, Rebel Wilson and Anthony Hopkins offer to replace her. Jeff Bezos himself also appears in the commercial.
$15.2 million (2013)
With Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, humor was guaranteed in this Samsung Super Bowl ad. The commercial, in which LeBron James also appeared, introduced the Korean tech giant's new Galaxy smart phone.
$15.6 million (2019)
A refreshing look at common people rather than the regular celebrities, this Kia commercial goes into the country and honors the worker of its West Point, Georgia plant. A touching commercial that played on the emotions of the American viewers.
$15.6 million (2019)
A funny commercial, once again from the gigantic enterprise of Amazon, starring celebrities like Harrison Ford and Forest Whitaker, as well as a cute little dog who orders food by barking into his Alexa-collar. Not everything in its technology works out the way it should, yet, Amazon says, but they're heading in the right direction.
$16.0 million (2014)
Chrysler is another company with more than one spot in this list of most expensive Super Bowl ads. It was very expensive at the time, in 2014, but it is also the first one in this ranking to last two minutes instead of 90 seconds. A pleasant commercial featuring Bob Dylan, worthy of hits minutes and millions.
$16.2 million (2017)
This ad is meant as a motivational video for ordinary Americans. As Ford itself says, "the spot showcases moments in which people have become 'stuck' in life. It then showcases Ford solutions – including self-driving vehicles and ride-sharing – to help people move freely again."
$16.2 million (2017)
A highly politically charged commercial in the first Super Bowl during Donald Trump's presidency, this ad has a critical perspective on the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
$16.8 million (2020)
The Google ad shares its number one spot with another giant company: Amazon. 'Before Alexa' is a very expensive 90-second video, in part because it stars Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia De Rossi.
$16.8 million (2020)
This moving and much-discussed commercial tells the story of the grandmother of a Google employee, Loretta, whose 85-year-old widower explains how much he misses her.
$22.0 million (2022)
Cadillac presented a 130-second spot with a throwback to an iconic film, with an iconic superstar Winona Ryder. Tiomthée Chalamat joins her in the ad driving their new all-electric Cadilac that is so easy to drive, even Edward Scissorhands could handle it himself. Ah, nostalgia gets us every time!
$22.0 million (2022)
General Motors, like Cadilac, also pushed the sustainability factor during the 2022 Super Bowl, hoping to get Americans to join in on what is already really popular in Norway, the electric car. Will Ferrel, Kenan Thompson and Awkwafina went on a road trip to Norway in this comedic commercial.
$26.0 million (2022)
What has been the most expensive commercial in history to date was Amazon's 130-second "Mind Reader" spot featuring real-life couple Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost. The ad pokes fun at its product Alexa and its mind-reading capabilities, which many Americans have found invasive. Jeff Bezos must have realized that if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em!