Joe Wilson
The final football game of the season (y'know, the Super Bowl?) functions like a pastiche of everything that makes us American, including long-term brain damage and trans-fatty snacks. But then there are the commercials for which even the most ardent anti-capitalist can't help but tune in. We spoke with Eve Wakeland, director of accounts at the advertising agency Esparza in Albuquerque, about what to expect from the boob tube this weekend.
Which companies will be airing commercials during the Super Bowl?
Some of them are gonna be the ones that you expect—Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Hyundai—but there are a few we haven't seen in a while. Like M&M's will have one, PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] has one which is kind of controversial, Groupon, Pringles [and] Amazon, just to name a few.
How much are they spending for ad space?
Last year a 30-second spot was $4.5 million, and this year it's $5 million. People are willing to pay for [the increase]. You're also gonna see a lot of celebrity endorsements this year. That's not necessarily new, but in general of the stuff I've seen thus far, it's a higher percentage than in the past.
This football season, the president bashed players who protested against racist policing. Did this impact this year's commercials?
I do think companies were kind of keeping that in mind. From the ads I've seen so far, people are steering clear of politics. They're keeping things very light; they're either going light and funny or they're trying to lean more toward their philanthropic side. It kind of feels like everyone needs a little break from that at the moment.
