Super Bowl ads drop in price

Over the years many of the companies who purchase ads during halftime for the Super Bowl have remained the same. However, this year some of the regular suspects won’t be paying for spot.
With the struggling economy many individuals were waiting to see if the Super Bowl ads would sell out. Previous years found a steady balance of $3 million for a 30-second spot. This year ads dropped to between $2.6-$2.8 million for each 30-second spot, according to TNS Media Intelligence. Even with the drop in price companies like Pepsi and General Motors didn’t jump  into the commercial ring.
Every year millions of viewers tune in to watch the biggest sporting event of year, the Super Bowl. When the game is over viewers who tuned in may talk about the winning team for a few weeks, but according to associate dean of Weber State University’s college of Health Professions Ken Johnson he remembers the ads for longer than the games.
“I still remember ads that I saw as a child,” Johnson said.
This year drew special scrutiny from the public and for CBS. Some of the ads selected and banned from the halftime show are subjects of controversy.
In previous years CBS and entertainers for the Super Bowl have caused controversy and have been scrutinized after shows like Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction and Prince performing at half-time.
However, this year more focus was on commercials than half-time.
Tim Tebow, a college football player, appeared in an anti-abortion ad that aired during halftime. After some push back from the public, CBS decided they would still let the ad run. However, CBS came under fire when they banned an ad from Mancrush.com, a homosexual dating Web site for males.
“The standards need to be fair,” Johnson said. “They may have decided not to run it because it offended enough people that it may cause problems.”
Naomi Stewart, a WSU junior, said she would rather not see some of those ads. However, Stewart said she thinks CBS should at least be balanced in allowing what airs.
“If they are going to show one type of controversial ad they shouldn’t exclude the other,” Stewart said.
While the half-time advertisements may attract viewers that may not ordinarily watch the game, Johnson said he just prefers to wait until the next day and see the best ones online.
“It seems like a long time to spend watching a game when you can pull them up on a computer the next day,” Johnson said.