NBC says commercials for the Super Bowl are 95% sold out and that the network expects record-setting revenue for Super Sunday despite an ad market that shows weakness.
NBC executive vice president Seth Winter said the network is ahead of its sales pace from the last time it aired the Super Bowl in 2012 and that just a handful of spots remain unsold.
NBC has been seeking between $4.4 million and $4.5 million per Super Bowl spot, and price has not been a negotiating issue.
The auto category is not in gear for this Super Bowl, according to Winter. He said that more than 20 spots went to automakers in 2012 and this year it would be in the low teens. Making up for auto slowdown are 15 new Super Bowl advertisers, most in relatively new digital businesses.
Winter said that at the prevailing rate, Super Bowl spots are a bargain. Citing NBC research, he says the value of the exposure that Super Bowl advertisers get before, during and after the game is closer to $10 million.
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