• Mediaweek, Tuesday, December 13, 2005 12:17 PM

At least two major marketers who traditionally advertise on the Super Bowl are taking a pass on the big game this year. At the same time, some marketers are switching ad dollars from the game to the upcoming Olympics while also considering alternate media like the Internet.

McDonald's Corp. and Visa, both perennial Super Bowl advertisers, will not support this year's contest, where a 30-second spot is fetching $2.4 million. That price tag is the same as last year's, marking the third time in five years that the cost of a 30-second commercial was flat compared to the previous year.

Another factor scaring some advertisers away is the increased scrutiny of their creative, due to viewer complaints about previous spots being too risqué. The Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, opens shortly after the game and is also having an impact. "Spots in the Olympics are much cheaper, so you can run several to make up for the audience you would get in one Super Bowl spot, and there is no scrutiny about the creative level of commercials during the Olympics," said one media agency executive who buys ads for clients in both events.

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