Every year, football fans wait with bated breath for the do-or-die game during the Super Bowl. For fans, this event is definitely about shutdowns, big tackles, and epic action. However, in the business world, the Super Bowl is also about the battle of the brands. 

Many companies spend millions of dollars for seconds of airtime during Super Bowl, with hopes that they get consumer’s attention, and of course, money. While it is a fact that commercials are costly, Super Bowl ads are on a different level, money-wise. 

Even if brands pay millions of dollars for short airtime, the result pays for itself. The enormous price is understandable because there are millions of viewers yearly. Here are the top 10 most profitable Super Bowl commercials recorded.

$3.9 million

One of the most futuristic Super Bowl ads aired in the 1990s is Nike’s commercial featuring Michael Jordan and fictional character Bugs Bunny. The 90-second ad showcases the basketball skills of Jordan along with the Nike apparel. 

Since the release, the brand received a lot of exposure from consumers and later on recognized as a high-quality shoe brand. The company expanded because of the recognition from consumers.

$70.7 million

This Procter & Gamble brand recorded success after airing a commercial in Super Bowl. The 2015 ‘Like a Girl’ ad became popular because of the touching concept and won Outstanding Commercial at the 2015 Emmy’s. 

The base price of airing a 30-second advertisement on the Super Bowl is around $4.5 million. The expense is definitely worth it because Always’ #LikeAGirl trend became viral and helped the company reached $70.7 million.

$300 million

Keanu Reeves standing on a moving motorcycle is not just sexy—but intriguing. This is how Squarespace wants people to remember from the commercial; building something awesome with the help of a great digital team. 

Spending five million dollars for a thirty-second commercial paid off as the brand is now valued at billions of dollars. They are able to get the right exposure and received a good amount of inquiries from interested parties.

$389 million

The iconic dancing Britney Spears in the 2001 Super Bowl ad is probably the birth of a new era for marketing. Pepsi revealed that Super Bowl commercials helped the company increase product sales by up to $389 million in 2019. 

The beverage brand shortly ended Super Bowl ads back in 2009 but came back strong. The 2019 Pepsi Super Bowl commercial features Steve Carell, Lil Jon, and Cardi B. The message is simply implying that Pepsi is more than kay.

$755 million

The Procter & Gamble brand Old Spice blew up ten years ago after a Super Bowl commercial featuring Isaiah Mustafa was aired. The iconic line, ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ boosted Old Spice’s sales by 107 percent that year, bringing the revenue to more than $755 million. 

The success of the ad is huge because the strategy is effective. Mustafa entered the screen with ‘hello ladies’—tapping women who are likely to be the shopper in the household. The campaign made the brand what it is today; a leading body wash brand for men.

$1.5 billion

Apple’s Super Bowl commercial in 1984 remains one of the most famous ads in advertising history. The message is as empowering and it was the time when the company introduced the world’s first Macintosh personal computer. 

While the revenue of $1.5 billion was a collective effort from the sales and marketing team, the airtime in Super Bowl definitely gave the brand exposure. According to reports, more than $155 million worth of Macintoshes were sold months after the Super Bowl.

$2 billion

The beef campaign by Wendy’s way back in 1984 gave the fast-food chain a good exposure and over-the-top revenue. According to the New York Times, the 2,850 restaurants worldwide benefited from the Super Bowl commercial and recorded $2 billion annual sales in 1984. 

The commercial was responsible for increasing the annual revenue by 31 percent and popularizing the catchphrase, ‘where’s the beef?’. Wendy’s introduced the breakfast menu after the success of the Super Bowl campaign.

$6.5 billion

The revolutionary ad entailing the benefits of technology to mankind is the message of Google’s 2010 Super Bowl commercial. It was about an American student who studied in Paris and fell in love with a French woman. 

This particular ad opened more doors for Google to develop new products and services. Google’s revenue hit $6.5 billion in 2010 with the help of the Super Bowl ad.

$20.6 billion

Who would forget Volkswagen’s ad ‘The Force’ way back in the 2011 Super Bowl. The campaign opened more doors for the automaker to ring in bigger sales that year and on. Volkswagen recorded higher vehicle sales and revenue thanks to its exposure during the Super Bowl. 

According to New York Times, the company sold more than 2.26 million vehicles in 2011, a good fiscal year for the brand. This is brought by collective effort in product development and effective marketing strategies. The Force ad remains one of the most iconic Super Bowl ads today.

$86.8 billion

It is no secret that Microsoft Inc. is one of the world’s most valuable companies today. The company continues to push for innovation while maintaining a good marketing strategy to boost consumer sales. Placing an ad in the Super Bowl is definitely effective because it boosted the company’s profit. 

The ad became viral because of the ‘emotional marketing’ involved. The message is simply showcasing Microsoft’s role around the world, helping people improve their lives. Sarah Churman starred in the commercial and garnered more than 20 million YouTube views at the time.

The Super Bowl is the battlefield of brands getting in their way to reach millions of potential customers on national television. Yearly, the cost of airtime increases and businesses keep fighting for a spot to get better exposure. 

These ten brands are only some of the most profitable commercials in the history of the Super Bowl. Expect that each year, more and more companies will invest in Super Bowl airtime.

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