American Idol is Back…With a Very Large Cash Register
FOX broadcasted the first half of a 4-hour series premiere for American Idol last night. With the second half of the premiere set to air tonight, individuals across America seem eager and excited for yet another season of the hit show. Already renowned as the #1 show in America, American Idol continues to draw large audiences, which in turn, bring large advertising budgets.
The rates aren’t getting any cheaper. An article from AdWeek.com claimed that certain sponsorships from Coca-Cola, Ford and AT&T are reaching prices upwards of $35 million. These packages include product placement along with some online and TV ads, too. While these rates may seem outrageous, there’s a possibility that these sponsors are getting an amazing deal…
Considering the timing of the premiere, American Idol is poised to have the most successful season ever. Being the 7th season, and considering that several of the past Idols haven’t really ‘panned-out’, one may expect the series to start seeing lower ratings and less public interest. The writer’s strike may be the best thing to happen in American Idol history. With reruns being broadcasted on other stations, FOX and A.I. are rumored to attract even more viewers than ever.
What does this mean for the nation’s top advertisers who rely on large audiences? Higher rates. Media buyers’ hands are tied here. How can you justify buying primetime space for re-runs when you can be reaching potentially larger audiences? Unfortunately for advertisers, FOX realizes this and continues to raise the rates.
Looks like that ‘Green’ campaign would have been better off with FOX rather than NBC….
