Did you know the first commercial to ever air was broadcasted over 80 years ago? According to Ad Age, it cost the company just $9– $4 in air charges and $5 in station charges. In today’s age, commercials have become a mainstream expectation whenever you turn on the tv. It almost seems as if commercials get more air time than actual programming. According to an analysis conducted by UBS TV (which is responsible for monitoring commercial minutes across networks and cable groups), during an hour-long program slot, you will consume 13 minutes worth of commercials. And with an average cost of air time up from $4 to a whopping $115,000 per 30 seconds, it’s no wonder why every business wants to get their name in front of as many eyes at home as possible. So we’re breaking down the top 5 memorable, lucrative commercials of all time– those that were definitely worth the big bucks!
Tootsie Pop’s “How Many Licks?”, 1968
You’ve most likely been asked, and tested, to find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Classic, yet odd, this commercial became an instant classic as it challenges viewers to find out the answer for themselves. Proving the wise-cracking owl wrong, three is not the correct answer. In February of 2015, nearly 50 years after the commercial aired, numerous studies have shown the actual amount can be anywhere from 346 to 997! As Mr. Owl has said, “The world may never know.” What we do know, is that Tootsie Roll Ind. racked in over $100 million in Tootsie Pops alone in the following year! That’s almost $750 million today!
Apple’s Futuristic Dystopia, 1984
Inspired by George Orwell’s iconic “1984”, Apple released a symbolic commercial during the Super Bowl HalfTime Show that grossed $155 million in Macintosh computers within the first three months of its airing. With its dystopian depiction, and direction by the famous Ridley Scott, of a woman fighting off a brainwashing machine, this commercial made a lasting impression with its one-time national television airing (yes, you read that correctly! The commercial only ever aired ONCE on national television!). Now 37 years old, this commercial set the precedent for all the Superbowl commercials in the coming decades.
Budweiser’s “Whassup?!”, 1999
It’s not every day you hear of a commercial catchphrase that gets spoofed in a movie, used by notable pop culture figures, and used to pick up a phone call from friends around the world! Budweiser’s “Whassup?!” has withstood the test of time and remains one of the most iconic commercials ever created. The catchphrase even transcended the beer’s market to countries that didn’t even carry Budweiser! August Busch IV of Anheuser Busch has even said: “In our lifetimes, we’ll never see so much value created from a single idea.” In the first 4 weeks of air time, the commercial’s effects were paying off with Budweiser’s sales up 7.9%– a total of almost $3 million in supermarkets alone in 30 days! The commercial went on to gross almost $350 million.
