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Cable television broadcasting industry

Super Bowl LV Viewership Drops to 14-Year Low, Advertisers Still Resonate

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Promotional Products Association International reported that Super Bowl LV drew a TV audience of 96.1 million viewers across all platforms, a 5.5-percent drop from 2020's total audience and the lowest viewership the game has received in 14 years. Despite the decline, advertisers still managed to resonate with viewers, with 56 advertisers airing 67 spots. A study by ispot.tv found that Mountain Dew's "Major Melon Bottle Count" spot took the lead with a Digital Share of Voice (DSOV) rating of 21.78 percent.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Super Bowl LV viewership dropped to a 14-year low, with 96.1 million viewers across all platforms, a 5.5-percent decrease from 2020.
  • Looking only at the TV audience, viewership was down by eight percent.
  • The game featured 56 advertisers with 67 spots, with advertisers such as Mountain Dew, Amazon Echo, and Jeep competing for attention.
  • Mountain Dew's "Major Melon Bottle Count" spot took the lead with a DSOV rating of 21.78 percent, while Amazon Echo's "Alexa's Body" and Jeep's "The Middle" followed with DSOV ratings of 13.95 percent and 10.64 percent, respectively.
  • Several prominent brands chose to sit out the Super Bowl for 2021, including Budweiser, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola, citing financial challenges and a desire to invest in other efforts.
  • The pull-backs may reflect the financial struggles of some companies, with advertising/marketing lawyer Jim Dudukovich noting that "behind the scenes, a lot of companies are struggling financially and are reducing their marketing spend."

Statistics:

  • 96.1 million: The total viewership number for Super Bowl LV across all platforms.
  • 5.5: The percentage decrease in viewership from 2020 to 2021.
  • 8: The percentage decrease in TV audience viewership.
  • 56: The number of advertisers who aired spots during the game.
  • 67: The total number of spots aired during the game.
  • 21.78: The Digital Share of Voice (DSOV) rating of Mountain Dew's "Major Melon Bottle Count" spot.
  • 13.95: The DSOV rating of Amazon Echo's "Alexa's Body" spot.
  • 10.64: The DSOV rating of Jeep's "The Middle" spot.

Sources:

  • Super Bowl LV viewership numbers: Promotional Products Association International press release
  • ispot.tv study: iSpot.tv, "Super Bowl LV Ad Spend and Ratings"

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