Auto-related companies are geared up for Super Bowl XLVI, collectively buying about a third of the in-game commercial time. Carmakers, shopping services and tiremakers hold about two dozen of NBC's 70 30-second slots in the Feb. 5 game.
The buying spree comes as Americans begin to spend on cars again. U.S. auto sales hit 12.8 million in 2011, up 10.3% from 2010 and the best sales year since 2008, according to Autodata. "There's a lot of market share up for grabs," says Brian Thomas, Volkswagen USA general manager of brand marketing.