• by Wayne Friedman , April 23, 2018

Through two weekends, the NBA Playoffs has seen consistent national TV advertising activity, with big spending among quick-serve restaurants, beer, automotive, and auto/general insurance marketers.

Quick-serve restaurants have run 845 national TV spots, followed by beer at 612; automotive, 511; and insurance, 341, according to iSpot.tv. Major individual advertisers include Burger King, 232; Taco Bell, 197; Verizon, 158; Gatorade, 157; and Corona Extra, 147.

Total national advertising on five TV networks -- TNT, ESPN, ABC, ESPN 2 and NBA TV -- has come to $135.1 million so far. A year ago, six TV networks, TNT, ESPN, ABC, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes and NBA TV, totaled national TV advertising of $142 million.

Similar individual marketers this year offered a strong presence compared to a year ago: Burger King with 194 airings; Samsung Mobile at 122; Taco Bell with 115; Kia Motors at 98; and Heineken Light with 98.

Through the first week of this year’s NBA Playoffs, TV network on-air promo efforts had TNT with 71 promo airings; ABC, 58; ESPN, 55; TBS, 45; and NBA TV, 25. A year before, ESPN had 71, followed by ABC, 60; TNT, 42; TBS, 10, NBA TV, 7; and ESPN U, 7.