Time Is Money
Under Armour will make its Super Bowl debut with an ad for its new Prototype shoe, featuring former University of Maryland player Eric Ogbogu, in this image from its Web site.
Cavemen, Justin Timberlake, a drug dealer and a model in lingerie all will be sharing the spotlight with the undefeated New England Patriots Sunday as advertisers shell out more dollars than ever to reach television’s biggest audience.
Companies are paying a record $2.7 million for 30 seconds of air time — that’s $90,000 a second — during the Super Bowl, which is expected to draw more than 90 million viewers to Fox.
The time is particularly precious this year because the ongoing writers’ strike has stopped production on many of Hollywood’s popular shows, eliminating key TV advertising opportunities.
Advertisers “can take a quarter’s budget and say, ‘I know I’m not going to be spending money until the fall, especially if there’s no Oscars,’ ” said Kathy Sharpe, chief executive officer of Sharpe Partners in New York.
This year’s ad roster includes spots from regular buyers Anheuser-Busch, GoDaddy.com and Pepsico as well as newcomers Planters nuts, Cars.com and Bridgestone Firestone.
Baltimore-based Under Armour is also making its big-game debut this weekend as the athletic-wear company introduces Prototype, a new cross-trainer shoe for men, women and children.
“It’s really bigger than a shoe launch, but really an introduction of our brand to the world,” said Steve Battista, vice president of brand.
The company in late December posted several 15-second “teasers” on its Web site, www.underarmour.com, for the new Prototype campaign. The ad will feature a diverse set of athletes, including former University of Maryland football star Eric Ogbogu, NASCAR driver Carl Edwards and figure skater Kimmie Meissner. Viewers will be directed to the Under Armour’s Web site, where they can order the shoe, which reaches shelves May 3.
