Hyundai Doubles Down on Ad Slot Right Before Super Bowl Kickoff

Hyundai plans to advertise during Super Bowl XLVI, but the automaker is also doubling down on the power of a commercial played just before the game begins. Hyundai will run a 60-second ad just before kickoff on Feb. 5 on NBC, Steve Shannon, VP-marketing at Hyundai Motor America, said in an interview. Hyundai Motor Co. has run ads in that slot in the past few years, but none as long as 60 seconds, he said. The extra time ensures that Hyundai has "these clear seconds just before the game starts," said Mr. Shannon. He promised that the ad would be "anthemic." Hyundai will also run two 30-second spots during the game, one in the first and one in the fourth quarter, but capturing the "pre-kick" spot means the advertiser will get the eyes of Super Bowl viewers who have seen all the pregame coverage and are primed for the start of the annual classic. Ads during the game can get lost in the action of the event, Mr. Shannon suggested, but the pre-kick moment offers clarity and is thus worth a 60-second berth. Mr. Shannon said he hoped the pre-kick spot would plant a seed about Hyundai in viewers' minds, the better to help its two in-game ads have a more significant impact. Before Hyundai , Yum Brands' Pizza Hut bought the last ad before the start of the Super Bowl in an effort to get people thinking about its pizza while they were watching the game. Hyundai has advertised in the Super Bowl since 2008 but did not start buying pre-game inventory until 2009. In 2009 and 2010, the company purchased "isopods" -- a slot devoted to their commercial -- in the moments just before kickoff. The price for a 30-second ad berth during pregame coverage on Fox's telecast last year was between $100,000 and $2 million, depending on the proximity to kickoff, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Hyundai Doubles Down on Ad Slot Right Before Super Bowl Kickoff

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