THIS year, Madison Avenue seems to be anticipating the Oscars as much as Hollywood.
Advertisers are paying ABC the highest prices since 2008 for commercials during the network’s coverage of the Academy Awards. ABC, part of the Walt Disney Company, charged $1.65 million to $1.8 million for each 30 seconds of commercial time in the broadcast on Sunday; the rate five years ago was $1.7 million.
Also, a recent trend of advertisers treating the Oscars like the Super Bowl — as a platform for prominent new ads that consumers will rave (or rant) about on social media like Facebook and Twitter — seems to be intensifying. Blue-chip brands like Chobani, Grey Poupon, Hyundai, Neutrogena and J. C. Penney plan to show new campaigns or new commercials in continuing campaigns.
For many years, the Academy Awards was heralded as “the Super Bowl for women” until gains among female viewers put the Super Bowl ahead of the Oscars in total women watching. Still, the Academy Awards usually draws the most female viewers of any entertainment show.
