According to CBS, more than 90% of the Super Bowl spots have been sold with a month to go before the game and the network has secured a title sponsor for each pre-game and post-game hour of programming.  Third quarter ads are sold out. There are spots available here and there in the first half and a few spots left in the last quarter. A 30-second package this year costs US$5m+.

CBS has committed to broadcast seven hours of pre-game coverage and will use the game to give viewers a sneak peek its new reality-competition program, The World’s Best, hosted by James Corden, as well as a special Sunday-night broadcast of Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show. The network says that it is in discussions with the White House about a possible pre-game interview with President Donald Trump.

So who’s in and what are they planning?

Automotive:

Audi [Venables Bell & Partners]

Audi is to run a 60-second spot in the second quarter of the game, featuring its forthcoming electric-powered product line, E-Tron, of which the SUV will launch this year. This will be Audi’s 10th Super Bowl appearance.

Audi ran a forward-thinking feminist ad in 2017:

Toyota [Burrell Communications]

Toyota is making its seventh Super Bowl appearance in eight years. It also advertised in last year’s Super Bowl. Toyota is to run an ad for its RAV4. Burrell is Toyota’s transcultural agency. Saatchi & Saatchi, which is usually Toyota’s lead creative agency for major campaigns is managing media.

Kia [David&Goliath]

Kia is making its 10th consecutive appearance at the Super Bowl. YThe brands is expected to continue its history of using humour and celebrities.

Kia ran this ad last year:

https://youtu.be/0YVbVXOjJv4

Hyundai [Innocean Worldwide]

Hyundai is making its 11th appearance in 12 years, and running its fourth consecutive Super Bowl ad. The brand is to run a 60-second spot in the first quarter and a 30-second ad in the pre-game show, supported by experiential activations around the venue in Atlanta.

Jaguar and Land Rover

Neither will run ads this year.

Mercedes-Benz. [TBD]

Mercedes-Benz is returning to the Super Bowl after skipping last year. In 2017, it ran an ad for Mercedes-AMG directed by Oscar winners, Joel and Ethan Coen. Mercedes is keeping both its buy and the agency it will use under wraps. Its lead creative agency in the US is Merkley & Partners.

Mercedes ran this ad in 2017:

WeatherTech [Pinnacle Advertising]

WeatherTech is making its sixth consecutive Super Bowl appearance with one 45-second ad.

Alcohol:

Anheuser-Busch  [ Wieden & Kennedy New York (Bud Light); David(Budweiser); VaynerMedia (Budweiser); Mother (Stella Artois);FCB Chicago (Michelob Ultra); Bullish (Bon & Viv SpikedSeltzer)]

Anheuser-Busch has won the biggest spender competition. It has booked 5 1/2 minutes of air-time and will run eight ads for five brands, Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Stella and Bon & sugar-free malt liquor, Viv SpikedSeltzer, and seven products this year. Michelob Ultra Pure Gold, which is made from organic grains, and Budweiser Copper Lager, a co-branded beer with Jim Beam, will get ads. There will be four 45-second spots, three 30-second spots and one 60-second ad. In previous years, Anheuser-Busch has run about four minutes of ads run during the Super Bowl.

Last year it ran:

https://youtu.be/Zr4md5OqL60

Food & Beverage:

M&Ms   [BBDO New York]

M&M’s is returning for its second consecutive year. Its 30-second spot will run during the first quarter, during the first commercial break. This will be M&Ms 5^th Super Bowl appearance in ten years, but prior to 2018, M&Ms not run an ad for three years.

M&Ms ran this ad last year:

https://youtu.be/qfZcxeqa1g4

PepsiCo [Goodby, Silverstein & Partners]

PepsiCo will run three ads for three brands, buying 90 seconds (30-seconds per brand). Doritos, Bubly and PepsiCola will advertise,  Bubly Sparkling Water for the first time as it is only a year old. Pepsi will have the 10-seconds before the Super Bowl halftime show as sponsor.

Doritos ran this ad last year:

https://youtu.be/Ey01ZlAoYes

Pringles. [Grey Worldwide]

Pringles returns to the Super Bowl after making its debut last year.  The ad will be built on Pringles’s “flavour stacking” campaign, like it was last year.

Avocados From Mexico

Avocados From Mexico is making its 5^th consecutive appearance and plans to continue to use humour to underline its tagline, Always Worth It.

Avocados From Mexico ran this ad last year:

https://youtu.be/ijVLdH5dt-c

Devour (Kraft Heinz) [David Miami]

Kraft Heinz frozen food brand, Devour, launched in 2016, with the tagline, Food You Want to Fork. It will air a 30-second spot in the third quarter of the game.

Consumer Goods:

Colgate [Red Fuse]

Colgate will run its second-ever Super Bowl this year. Its first ran in 2016. The 2018 ad for Total will star Luke Wilson, will be humorous, be 30-seconds long, will use the tagline, Do more for your mouth, and will be directed by Bryan Buckley.

Persil [DDB New York]

Persil ProClean is returning for its 4^th consecutive year, The ad will bring back The Professional, a white-tuxedo-wearing pitchman, who encourages you to clean your dirty clothes, played by Younger star, Peter Hermann.

Insurance & Financial:

TurboTax [Wieden + Kennedy]

TurboTax is back for its sixth consecutive year in the Super Bowl. Its keeping all the details quiet for now. Last year, Turbo Tax ran two ads by W+K. As well as advertising in the Super Bowl, Intuit TurboTax Live will also be the first presenting sponsor for the AFC and NFC Championship games.

Turbo Tax ran this ad last year:

https://youtu.be/YrzxVhbDc-4

Airlines:

Turkish Airlines [TBD]

Not returning:

84 Lumber and Airbnb are not returning to the Super Bowl. 84Lumber presented the controversial ad of 2017.

Super Bowl L1: The ending of the (amended) 84 Lumber ad Fox rejected won’t be seen on TV

In 2016, Airbnb’s We Accept, made its debut at the Super Bowl.