CBS is taking an "under the radar" approach to selling ad time for its broadcast of Super Bowl XLIV from Miami. Rather than going out to ad buyers and the press with an average price for a
30-second spot, the network's ad-sales staff has instead told buyers it's willing to create customized ad packages around the event, then work together to determine a value.
The approach
shows a surprising level of flexibility in Super Bowl ad-sales tactics. Not surprisingly, buyers say their clients are looking for drops in price from last year's game, when NBC sold ad spots for
$2.4 million to $3 million. This year, CBS is telling advertisers that pricing will hinge on where the ad runs in the telecast, how much ad time is purchased and whether a marketer is interested in
ad opportunities during the network's hours of pre-game coverage. That's where products and messages could be woven into certain parts of the programming.
Each year, the network
airing the game typically tips off buyers and media outlets that it will seek an "average" price for a 30-second spot. CBS' strategy would likely pay off if the economy improves between now and
early next year. If the network were to name a price in public now, it might undercut its ability to ask for greater sums later.
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