How much Super Bowl ads cost over the years

Your Super Bowl party might be divided when it comes to cheering for the Patriots or the Eagles, but, one thing everyone is rooting for: Amazing commercials.

And, actually, nearly one in four viewers on Sunday will be watching the Super Bowl just for the commercials. After all, those well-crafted ads are known for giving us all kinds of feels in a single commercial break, ranging from the sentimental to the hilarious. (Here’s one from Amazon to be watching out for).

As it turns out, those behind the commercials might be just as nervous about winning consumers over as Tom Brady is winning another ring. A single 30-second spot can be a defining moment for the brands, explains the American Marketing Association, or AMA.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come in 2018:

In anticipation of Super Bowl LII (which airs on NBC on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern), the AMA did an analysis showing how much the average cost of a 30-second ad during the Big Game costs. Interestingly, it hasn’t been a steady climb for Super Bowl ads over the years. For example, between 1970 and 1971, the price of an ad fell by $6,000 from $78,000 to $72,000. For the three games between 1991 and 1993, the ad rate stayed flat at $850,000. The cost of an add dipped from $2.1 million in 2001 to $1.9 million in 2002.

Last year, advertisers shelled out, on average, $5.2 million for a spot. A 30-second spot in the 2018 Super Bowl will again cost in excess of $5 million, according to Sports Illustrated.

Here’s some highlights over the years, according to the statistics rounded up by AMA (view the full list below!):

1967: $42,000, Green Bay Packers (35) VS Kansas City Chiefs (10).

1972: $86,000, Dallas Cowboys (24) VS Miami Dolphins (3)

1977: $125,000, Oakland Raiders (32) VS Minnesota Vikings (14)

1982: $324,000 San Francisco 49ers (26) VS Cincinnati Bengals (21)

1987: $600,000 New York Giants (39) VS Denver Broncos (20)

1992: $850,000 Washington Redskins (37) VS Buffalo Bills (24)

1997: $1.2 million Green Bay Packers (35) VS New England Patriots (21)

2002: $1.9 million New England Patriots (20) VS St. Louis Rams (17)

2007: $2.6 million Indianapolis Colts (29) VS Chicago Bears (17)

2012: $3.5 million New York Giants (21) VS New England Patriots (17)

2017: $5.02 million New England Patriots (34) VS Atlanta Falcons (28)

Here’s the full list from the AMA, in one handy chart:

So, what’s your favorite Super Bowl commercial of all time?