Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2011 Academy Awards
2011 Academy Awards
2011 Academy Awards
Bill Daddi
Daddi Brand Communications
212-404-6619
917-620-3717
Bill@DaddiBrand.com
New York, NY, February 14, 2011 – With the Super Bowl in the history books, the stage is now clear for
rd
the next high-profile TV advertising event: the 83 Academy Awards on February 27, 2011.
Sometimes referred to in advertising circles as “the Super Bowl for women”, the event is not marked by
the hype surrounding its TV commercials that is a defining characteristic of the football Super Bowl. Aided
by the combination of Hollywood celebrities, high fashion and the unpredictability of who will win and what
they will say in their acceptance remarks, the Academy Awards follows its own course and in doing so
continues to be a marquee franchise for advertisers.
Kantar Media Intelligence has once again searched its extensive database to compile key figures and
trends on Academy Awards advertising. According to these figures, marketers have spent almost $720
million during the past ten years to advertise during the live network TV broadcast of the awards
ceremony.
1 of 5
Academy Awards:
Advertising Rates and Revenue: 2001-2010
For the 2011 telecast, ABC’s initial asking price for a 30-second spot is around $1.7 million according to
published reports in Advertising Age.
Top Advertisers
A small number of blue-chip marketers dominate the rankings of top spenders in the Academy Awards.
Over the past five years, more than 50 percent of total ad revenue has come from five companies.
# of Years With
Ad Spend Ads In The
Rank Company ($millions) Show
1 Coca Cola 49.2 5
2 JC Penney 45.6 5
3 General Motors 38.3 3
4 American Express 33.3 5
5 MasterCard Intl 28.2 4
General Motors last advertised in the 2008 ceremony before bowing out in a cost-cutting move. Hyundai
has been the exclusive auto advertiser – and the single largest sponsor – in each of the last two
broadcasts and will be present again this year.
2 of 5
The recent recession led to both sponsor withdrawals and price reductions, creating a rare opportunity for
other companies to buy in. Forty-eight percent of the marketers in 2010 were first-timers, marking a surge
in this metric for the second consecutive year.
The freshman class of 2010 included Ameriprise, Estee Lauder, Intel, Kimberly-Clark and Samsung.
Over the past decade, the show has consistently averaged 8-10 minutes per hour of national commercial
messages. This includes paid ads plus promotional plugs from the network for its own programming.
The comparable level for the Super Bowl is about 13-14 minutes per hour and for network prime time
programming it is typically 14-16 minutes per hour.
3 of 5
TV Ratings For The Academy Awards
Audience ratings for the 2010 Academy Awards were the highest since 2005 and up sharply from the
shrunken levels of 2008-2009. An expanded nomination list for the Best Picture award and effective
leveraging of social media to promote the TV telecast were important contributors to the viewing gains.
Academy Awards
Year HH % Rating Index
2001 26.2 100
2002 25.4 97
2003 20.4 78
2004 26.0 99
2005 25.4 97
2006 22.9 87
2007 23.0 88
2008 17.9 68
2009 19.6 75
2010 23.3 89
In any given year, audience interest in the awards ceremony may rise or fall based on the slate of
nominees for major awards, their popularity at the box office and the general buzz surrounding them.
Perceptions and buzz around the host/hostess for the show can also affect ratings.
However, compared to other major awards shows the Academy Awards audience is older than both the
Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards.
For 2011, there is a multi-pronged effort to attract younger viewers. First-time co-hosts James Franco and
Anne Hathaway are one part of the strategy. In another first, the Oscar.com web site will stream live
4 of 5
during the broadcast to offer expanded coverage of red carpet activities and unique access to a variety of
backstage areas, including the press room where interviews are conducted with winners. Social media
and mobile applications will also be integrated to help make the event more immersive and appealing to
younger audiences.
5 of 5