Super Bowl Advertising Shakeup

Don’t look for any splashy new ads from the King of Beers on Feb. 7. 

For the first time in 37 years, Budweiser is not airing a commercial during the Super Bowl. 

The beer giant announced it will instead donate the money to the Ad Council and the COVID Collaborative Vaccine Education Initiative.

Last year, parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev was the top marketer during the Big Game, spending an estimated $41 million on commercials — 10% of total ad revenue for the Super Bowl, according to data agency Kantar.

Beyond Anheuser-Busch InBev:

• Super Bowl in-game advertising generated $435 million in 2020 — the highest amount in the event’s history. 
• A 30-second spot during this year’s game costs around $5.5 million, down slightly from last year’s $5.6 million.

Super Bowl ad prices used to see notable increases from year to year. Now, financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic has stagnated ad revenue and earning potential. 

Budweiser isn’t the only brand taking a break, either. Both Coke and Hyundai will sit out this year’s game as well.