2012 Super Bowl Study - Automotive Advertiser ROI in Super Bowl XLVI
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2012 Super Bowl Study –
Automotive Advertiser ROI in Super Bowl XLVI
The Super Bowl has long been known as the ultimate competitive match, but over time it has evolved
from being just a football game to a showdown of the best advertising ideas, creative and celebrity
endorsement. This year’s game, Super Bowl XLVI, saw the greatest turnout of automotive advertisers
since the industry collapsed in 2008 and 2009. Some advertisers were anticipated to return and others
participated for the first time. With 20 in-game spots and a total of nearly 21 minutes of advertising, the
auto industry brought humor, drama, and entertainment to the game like never before.
In the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLVI, many advertisers made a bold move from previous years
by leaking teasers online, some even released full-length and extended versions of their spots. Viewers
and media spread the word about their favorite ads and reactions through social media. Only a handful
of advertisers refrained from posting teasers online prior to the game in hopes of building anticipation
for the in-game spot.
Super Bowl viewership is up from last year. Nielsen Co. reported an estimated 111.3 million people
watched the Giants-Patriots game in full, compared to the estimated 111 million reported for last year’s
game. Combine that viewership with the amount of ad previews and post-game views from online video
(some advertisers had already recorded nearly 17 million views on YouTube alone on the Monday
following the game), proving this annual mass media event sustains extensive reach, pulls consumers
in and engages them directly with the advertisers.
This alignment carries a hefty price tag, and it’s critical for advertisers to measure the true return on
investments (ROI). Jumpstart Automotive Group performed its third annual study that looks at
automotive Super Bowl advertisers and measures the impact on their overall share of automotive
shoppers following their Super Bowl spot. The study examines immediate results in the days following
the Big Game, as well as three weeks post-game, which provides insight into which advertisers have a
lasting impact and the estimated price per share of shopper gained. This study provides a different look
at ROI by utilizing third-party automotive website shopper data to gauge how ads resonate with
consumers, and if the ads brought on initial and lasting consideration of the vehicles that were
advertised in the game.
Immediate Results Following Super Bowl
The immediate analysis looked at online traffic data from the period during the game and the day
following (Sunday through Monday) compared to the same time frame a week prior across Jumpstart’s
network of 15 automotive websites. The evaluation consisted of measuring the advertisers’ share of
brand and vehicle model page traffic for auto manufacturers that purchased in-game spots.
The chart below highlights the 5 vehicles that gained the biggest ground with online car shoppers on
Super Bowl Sunday, on the Monday following, and that week’s Sunday through Monday time frame
compared to the same times during the prior week.
1Super Bowl Sunday (2/5) Super Bowl Monday (2/6) Sunday–Monday Combined
Advertiser
vs. Prior Sunday (1/29) vs. Prior Monday (1/30) (2/5–2/6 vs. 1/29–1/30)
Acura NSX 78% 690% 479%
Fiat 500 71% 384% 249%
Chevrolet Sonic 47% 273% 182%
Hyundai Veloster 30% 23% 26%
Volkswagen
Beetle 22% 6% 13%
Acura’s humorous spot featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno, the two battling over who would own the
first NSX, has resonated with consumers and spiked interest in the vehicle which is not yet available.
As of February 7th, YouTube viewing counts of the Acura NSX spot had garnered the highest views of
all automotive spots in 2012 at nearly 16.5 million views.
The Fiat 500 and the Chevrolet Sonic also experienced noteworthy gains in share, with nearly 250%
and 182% growth over the same period. After the top three vehicles in share growth, the gap widens
quite significantly with the Hyundai Veloster and the Volkswagen Beetle coming in fourth and fifth.
Although their combined Sunday through Monday growth of 26 and 13 percent, respectively, are still
strong in shopper growth, they certainly didn’t spark the same high volume impact of the top three
advertisers.
Of those that did not see an immediate return on their Super Bowl investment are the Chevrolet
Camaro, with the highest drop in traffic share down 56 percent, the Hyundai Elantra (down 9 percent)
and the Lexus GS (down 8 percent). Despite not seeing immediate shopper gains from the Super
Bowl, the Elantra does not lack automotive shopper interest. In January 2012, Elantra was awarded the
2012 North American Car of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show, and has jumped to the tenth spot in the
top ten car sales in the U.S.
Key Traffic Metrics on Jumpstart Sites following the Super Bowl:
• Mobile traffic grew 33 percent on Jumpstart sites on Super Bowl Sunday compared to the
Sunday prior.
• Jumpstart’s visitors from iPhones grew 44 percent and iPad visitors grew 16 percent on game
day versus the Sunday prior.
• Total audience across Jumpstart sites grew 3 percent and new visitors increased by 4 percent
the Sunday through Monday of the Super Bowl compared to the same time frame in the prior
week.
ROI Analysis Measuring Lasting Impact in Share Growth and Cost per Share Gained
Jumpstart’s extended ROI analysis took the same approach in examining model-specific growth in
share among car shoppers across Jumpstart sites. In addition to evaluating the share growth,
Jumpstart calculated the estimated price each manufacturer paid for every percent in share gained.
2The analysis was based on average assumed total ad dollars spent by each of the advertisers during
the Super Bowl.
The timeframe of the analysis extended over a six-week period beginning three weeks prior to the
Super Bowl, to establish benchmark metrics for the OEMs slated to run spots during the game, and
then extended three weeks post-Super Bowl, to better understand the enduring effects of the large
investments that come with Super Bowl advertising. The chart below presents the results of the
analysis in total media spend, share of shopper growth over the study period, and the estimated price
per share of shoppers gained.
Estimated 2012 Super Bowl Average 3-Week Approximate Price per
Advertiser and Spot Name Advertising Expense Growth in Share % of Share Gained
(in thousands) of Shoppers (in thousands)
Acura NSX “Transactions” $13,100 36% $365
Audi “Vampire Party” $7,000 1% $6,900
Cadillac ATS “Green Hell” $3,600 7% $528
Chevrolet Camaro “Happy
$7,000 7% $990
Grad”
Chevrolet Silverado “2012
$7,000 9% $785
Mayan Apocalypse”
Chevrolet Sonic “Stunt
$7,000 86% $82
Anthem”
Chrysler: “Halftime in America” $14,100 7% $1,900
Fiat 500 Abarth “Seduction” $7,000 87% $81
Honda CR-V “Matthew's Day
$16,900 -7% $18,100
Off”
Hyundai Elantra “Victory Lap” $3,500 37% $94
Hyundai Genesis Coupe “Think
$3,500 12% $289
Fast”
Hyundai Genesis R-Spec
$3,500 26% $135
“Faster Acting”
Hyundai Veloster Turbo
$3,500 0% $3,500
“Cheetah”
Hyundai “All for One” $7,000 10% $704
Kia Optima “A Dream Car. For
$10,500 12% $863
Real Life.”
Lexus GS “The Beast” $3,500 84% $42
Suzuki Kizashi Sport Sedan
$7,000 -2% $7,100
“Sled”
Toyota Camry “Toyota
$7,000 21% $333
Reinvented”
Toyota Camry “Two Worlds” $3,500 21% $166
Volkswagen Beetle “The Dog
$8,800 16% $561
Strikes Back”
Note: The estimated spend was derived from the reported average cost of $3.5 million per :30 second spot; the estimated price per
share of automotive shoppers gained is calculated on Jumpstart audience measures for growth in share of
brand shoppers
3Growth in Share of Shoppers
When looking at the highest growth in share of automotive shoppers from pre- Super Bowl vs. post-
Super Bowl, the Fiat 500 Abarth, Chevrolet Sonic and Lexus GS were the clear winners, coming in at
87, 86 and 84 percent growth, respectively. This growth over the extended three-week period is much
more conservative compared to prior growth seen immediately following the Super Bowl where brand
share had grown up to 479% on the Sunday through Monday of the Super Bowl vs. the prior week. The
hype around Super Bowl ads tends to die off within two to three weeks following the game, but some
advertisers succeed in holding a significant level of growth further out after the initial excitement has
worn off.
Average 3-Week Growth in
Advertiser and Spot Name
Share of Shoppers
Fiat 500 Abarth ”Seduction” 87%
Chevrolet Sonic ”Stunt Anthem” 86%
Lexus GS ”The Beast” 84%
Highest Media Spend
The highest estimated media spend on goes to the Honda CR-V (“Matthew’s Day Off” with Matthew
Broderick), Chrysler (“Halftime in America” with Clint Eastwood) and Acura NSX (“Transactions” with
Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno), with total spend ranging from over $13 million to nearly $17 million. The
Honda CR-V didn’t see any sustained share growth, rather their overall share dropped 7percent.
Chrysler saw minimal sustained growth at 7 percent, and the Acura NSX was more successful at 36
percent growth in share of shoppers in the three weeks following the Super Bowl.
Estimated 2012 Super
Advertiser and Spot Name Bowl Advertising
Expense (in thousands)
Honda CR-V ”Matthew's Day Off” $16,900
Chrysler ”Halftime in America” $14,100
Acura NSX ”Transactions” $13,100
Lowest and Highest Cost per Share of Automotive Shoppers Gained
For making its first Super Bowl appearance, Lexus achieved strong ROI gaining 84 percent share of
automotive shopper growth, and achieving the lowest estimated price per share of shopper gained at
$42,000, though the spot received mixed reviews. Following Lexus are the same advertisers who
earned the highest share growth, the Fiat 500 Abarth and the Chevrolet Sonic, achieving an estimated
$81,000 and $82,000 spent per share of shopper gained. Another noteworthy mention is the Hyundai
Elantra “Victory Lap,” which achieved 37 percent share growth and an estimated $94,000 spent per
share of shopper gained.
4Approximate Price per % of
Advertiser and Spot Name
Share Gained (in thousands)
Lexus GS ”The Beast” $42
Fiat 500 Abarth ”Seduction” $81
Chevrolet Sonic ”Stunt Anthem” $82
Hyundai Elantra ”Victory Lap” $94
Success was not had by all in terms of ROI on media spend. The Honda CR-V had the highest price
spent per shopper gained at $18.1 million, resulting in a negative return in share. The Suzuki Kizashi
“Sled” and Audi’s “Vampire Party” spots joined the CR-V in the second and third highest spend per
share gained at $7.1 and $6.9 million.
Estimated 2012 Super Approximate Price
Average 3-Week
Bowl Advertising per % of Share
Advertiser and Spot Name Growth in Share
Expense (in Gained (in
of Shoppers
thousands) thousands)
Honda CR-V ”Matthew's Day Off” $16,900 -7% $18,100
Suzuki Kizashi Sport Sedan ”Sled” $7,000 -2% $7,100
Audi ”Vampire Party” $7,000 1% $6,900
Key Takeaways
The Super Bowl sets the standard in advertising excellence, and with heavy automotive industry
presence in 2012, only a few advertisers succeeded in making a big impact and sustaining shopper
interest. The industry has expanded its presence and seeks consumer engagement prior to the Big
Game as well as after, maximizing the hefty investment in Super Bowl advertising. The ROI
measurement becomes more interesting as the creative is consumed across multiple platforms and
consumers engage with Super Bowl content across many platforms and devices.
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