Advertisers are shelling out big bucks for spots during tomorrow night’s Grammys.
After the average ad cost $621,000 last year, this year’s rates are closer to $800,000 per 30-second spot, two media-buying execs familiar with this year’s rates told Billboard.
Brands flocked to this year’s Grammy telecast after last year’s show was watched by 26.6 million viewers, the largest audience in 11 years.
While rates for this year’s Grammy ads don’t come close to the $3.5 million commanded for a 30-second commercial during this year’s Super Bowl, CBS was able to sell out its ad inventory for the music-awards show weeks in advance.
“Demand has been really strong, even prior to the announcement of the lineup of talent that is going to be there,” Linda Rene, senior VP of prime-time sales and innovation at CBS told Billboard.
2012 Grammy sponsors include Pepsi, General Motors, Ford and speaker manufacturer Harman Kardon.
According to Rene, the Grammys are big for marketers because “it’s a really strong rating, it’s a live event, and there’s lots of interest and strong sales against the ads. It really delivers the goods.”
Pepsi will be featured before commercial breaks in custom interstitials promoting this year’s Best New Artist nominees and will also air an expanded, 90-second version of the “Pepsi for All” ad starring “X Factor” winner Amaro and Elton John that ran during the Super Bowl.
Ford is set to promote its Explorer and music-related in-car features like the voice-activated Sync entertainment and communications system. Ford and GM have an exclusive lock on car ads during the show, Billboard reported.
Harman Kardon is debuting two new spots during the show, including one featuring Paul McCartney in a rare commercial appearance.