Advertisers plan big plays during Super Bowl

Michael Johnson, Olympic Gold Medalist, stars in the upcoming Nike commercial

January 24, 1998
Web posted at: 9:48 p.m. EST (0248 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The Green Bay Packers meet the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl on Sunday. But the game itself isn't the only attraction to the 130 million people, or 45 percent of all TV households in the United States who will be tuned in.

CNN's Michael Okwu takes a look at this year's batch.
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Millions will be waiting for the commercials.

"The Super Bowl has really become the Academy Awards of commercials," said Rick Burton, director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.

CNN's Michael Okwu takes a look at this year's batch.

This year, a 30-second spot will cost $1.3 million. NBC is expected to take in more than $75 million.

"The Super Bowl is as much about advertising as it is about the game itself," said Jeffrey Pollack, publisher of the Sports Business Daily. "There's as much buzz and hype about the ads that run during the Super Bowl as the actual game."

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Stars such as comedians Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Richards and Drew Carey will be featured on ads. Budweiser plans to devote three of its four spots to the saga of the frogs and Louie the Lizard. Expect the war between Coke and Pepsi to be waged once the whistle on the field blows.

"If you do a great spot, you're gonna get rated. If you do well, they're gonna be articles that spin off that. I think it's a great investment," said Charlie Miesmer, vice chairman of BBDO Advertising.

Miesmer's creative team produced one of every five commercials that will air during the game.

Despite the high price for a spot, NBC reportedly sold all 58 spots to 30 advertisers two months before the game.

Correspondent Michael Okwu contributed to this report.

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