ViacomCBS sells out of Super Bowl LV ad inventory

ViacomCBS is “virtually” sold out of commercial inventory in Super Bowl LV, a company spokeswoman confirmed. This is similar phrasing CBS has used in prior games. While all inventory is accounted for, if a brand comes in with an attractive offer they could find an opportunity. This year's game will look a bit different than years prior, with Super Bowl advertising stalwarts like Budweiser, Pepsi, Coke and Hyundai sitting on the sidelines. They will be replaced by a large chunk of first-time Super Bowl advertisers, including Huggies, Scotts Miracle-Gro and Chipotle, with more expected to announce their ad commitments in the coming days. The automotive category and movie studios, will, unsurprisingly, air fewer spots in the game, according to a person familiar with the situation. This come as studios, in particular, have been hit especially hard amid the pandemic, with theaters in some major cities still closed and the debut of blockbuster films repeatedly delayed. While movie studios may be a lighter category, the streaming video space is still strong, though none have confirmed their appearance thus far in the game. The financial sector is another category expected to have a bigger showing, with brands ranging from insurance to mortgage lenders and credit card companies. E-Trade announced on Tuesday that is would return to the game after taking a two-year hiatus. There will be a number of 60-second ads in the game and one longer spot, but most of the ads will be 30-seconds, according to the person. A 30-second commercial in the game was going for about $5.5 million to $5.6 million, according to multiple buyers familiar with the situation. It’s certainly been a unique Super Bowl marketplace, thanks to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. With more than a week until kick-off, however, it turns out CBS was able to tie things up on pace with years prior. The last few ad units in the Big Game are always hardest to offload. CBS was helped to the finish line by some brands looking to extend their Super Bowl buys from 15-seconds to 30-seconds and 30-seconds to 60-seconds, according to one media buyer familiar with negotiations.

ViacomCBS sells out of Super Bowl LV ad inventory

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