Oscar Advertisers Keep Coming Back For More

TV advertisers that buy time in the Oscar broadcast continue to be repeat and high-paying TV customers, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

Over the past decade, 77% of Oscar advertisers have appeared in the previous year's event. Through the last 12 years, advertisers have spent some $314 million, per TNS. The Oscar show is broadcast annually on ABC. This year it airs Feb. 25.

These numbers are higher than repeat business for the Super Bowl, at which advertisers return year after year at a 62% rate. The World Series does a bit better, at 67%. With the Super Bowl and Oscars scheduled weeks apart, it may come as no surprise that many buy into both big TV events.

In past years, TNS says roughly one-third of all advertisers buy both. But last year, that number dropped to just three advertisers, or about 13.4% of all Oscar advertisers. TNS says the Winter Olympics in 2006 was a major third option for marketers.

Last year, TNS estimates that an average 30-second commercial on ABC's Oscar broadcast climbed 10% to $1.65 million. The entire 2006 event grossed $80.7 million in advertising revenue.

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The biggest advertiser by far is General Motors, at $99.5 million over the last 12 years. It advertised in all Oscar shows in that period. Similarly, American Express, which was No. 2 and spent $67.9 million, also advertised in all of the last 12 Oscar TV shows.

PepsiCo was next at $61.5 million, an advertiser in the last eight of 12; JC Penney was at $53.8 million, in nine of the last 12; and McDonald's rounds out the top five at $31.6 million, buying time in all of the last 12 shows.

After years of continuously stuffing in more non-program time--national and local advertising and network promos--last year's event pulled back somewhat. Non-program time averaged 12 minutes and three seconds per hour; this was down from 2005's 12 minutes and 17 seconds.

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