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What a Super Bowl Commercial Cost the Year You Were Born

What a Super Bowl Commercial Cost the Year You Were Born

The Super Bowl has always captured America’s attention. Since its inception in 1967, between 30% to 50% of all Americans have watched the big game each year. With such a large viewership, it’s not just the NFL’s biggest day — it is the Super Bowl for advertisers as well.

Major corporations shell out millions of dollars for just 30 seconds of air time, guaranteed to be watched by at least 100 million Americans and many millions more across the globe. The two most recent Super Bowls, held in 2017 and 2018, each reportedly commanded a $5 million price tag for a 30 second spot, according to Ad Age, a media company that reports on advertising.

Yet Super Bowl advertisements were not always this pricey. The average cost of an ad spot in Super Bowl I was just $40,000. Adjusted for inflation, that is still less than $300,000 — less than a 10th of the current price tag.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed historical costs of a 30-second commercial spot in all 52 Super Bowls to determine the cost of a Super Bowl commercial the year you were born. Data was provided by by Ad Age.

Source: Jimberg13 / Wikimedia Commons

1967: Super Bowl I
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $40,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $300,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Source: Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images

1968: Super Bowl II
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $54,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $391,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. Oakland Raiders

Source: Patrick Smith / Getty Images

1969: Super Bowl III
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $67,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $468,000
> Matchup: New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts

Source: NFL / WIkimedia Commons

1970: Super Bowl IV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $78,200
> Adjusted for inflation: $510,000
> Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings

Source: Malcolm W. Emmons / Wikimedia Commons

1971: Super Bowl V
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $72,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $446,000
> Matchup: Baltimore Colts vs. Dallas Cowboys

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1972: Super Bowl VI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $86,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $516,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins

Source: Alex Wong / Getty Images

1973: Super Bowl VII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $103,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $599,000
> Matchup: Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins

Source: NFL / WIkimedia Commons

1974: Super Bowl VIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $107,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $566,000
> Matchup: Miami Dolphins vs. Minnesota Vikings

Source: NFL / WIkimedia Commons

1975: Super Bowl IX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $110,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $521,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings

Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images

1976: Super Bowl X
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $125,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $555,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Source: NFL / Wikimedia Commons

1977: Super Bowl XI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $162,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $683,000
> Matchup: Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings

Source: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

1978: Super Bowl XII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $185,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $730,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos

Source: Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images

1979: Super Bowl XIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $222,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $802,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Source: NFL / Wikimedia Commons

1980: Super Bowl XIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $275,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $872,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams

Source: Allsport / Getty Images

1981: Super Bowl XV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $324,300
> Adjusted for inflation: $919,000
> Matchup: Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Source: Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

1982: Super Bowl XVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $345,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $902,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Source: Allsport / Getty Images

1983: Super Bowl XVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,009,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Miami Dolphins

Source: Getty Images / Getty Images

1984: Super Bowl XVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $450,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,089,000
> Matchup: Los Angeles Raiders vs. Washington Redskins

Source: Tony Duffy / Getty Images

1985: Super Bowl XIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,169,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins

Source: Mike Powell / Getty Images

1986: Super Bowl XX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $550,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,238,000
> Matchup: Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots

Source: Steve Dykes / Getty Images

1987: Super Bowl XXI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $575,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,275,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. Denver Broncos

Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images

1988: Super Bowl XXII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,279,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos

Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images

1989: Super Bowl XXIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $675,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,375,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

1990: Super Bowl XXIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $700,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,355,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images

1991: Super Bowl XXV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,466,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. Buffalo Bills

Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images

1992: Super Bowl XXVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,429,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Buffalo Bills

Source: Stephen Wade / Getty Images

1993: Super Bowl XXVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $850,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,470,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

1994: Super Bowl XXVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $900,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,518,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills

Source: George Rose / Getty Images

1995: Super Bowl XXIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,150,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,887,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. San Diego Chargers

Source: Al Bello / Getty Images

1996: Super Bowl XXX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,085,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,733,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Source: Al Bello / Getty Images

1997: Super Bowl XXXI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,860,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. New England Patriots

Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images

1998: Super Bowl XXXII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,292,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,972,000
> Matchup: Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers

Source: Vincent Laforet / Getty Images

1999: Super Bowl XXXIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,402,000
> Matchup: Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons

Source: Tom Hauck / Getty Images

2000: Super Bowl XXXIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,100,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,069,000
> Matchup: St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans

Source: Elsa / Getty Images

2001: Super Bowl XXXV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,099,000
> Matchup: Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Giants

Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

2002: Super Bowl XXXVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,064,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams

Source: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

2003: Super Bowl XXXVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,150,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,919,000
> Matchup: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Oakland Raiders

Source: Brian Bahr / Getty Images

2004: Super Bowl XXXVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,302,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,066,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers

Source: Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

2005: Super Bowl XXXIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,104,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Source: Harry How / Getty Images

2006: Super Bowl XL
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,110,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Source: Eliot J. Schechter / Getty Images

2007: Super Bowl XLI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,385,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,906,000
> Matchup: Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears

Source: Donald Miralle / Getty Images

2008: Super Bowl XLII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,700,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,155,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots

Source: Al Bello / Getty Images

2009: Super Bowl XLIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $3,000,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,505,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals

Source: Donald Miralle / Getty Images

2010: Super Bowl XLIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,974,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,385,000
> Matchup: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts

Source: Tom Pennington / Getty Images

2011: Super Bowl XLV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $3,100,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,472,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Source: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

2012: Super Bowl XLVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $3,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,809,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots

Source: Al Bello / Getty Images

2013: Super Bowl XLVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,000,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,285,000
> Matchup: Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers

Source: Christian Petersen / Getty Images

2014: Super Bowl XLVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,429,000
> Matchup: Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos

Source: Rob Carr / Getty Images

2015: Super Bowl XLIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,644,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks

Source: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

2016: Super Bowl 50
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,998,000
> Matchup: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers

Source: Al Bello / Getty Images

2017: Super Bowl LI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,050,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,130,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons

Source: Patrick Smith / Getty Images

2018: Super Bowl LII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,050,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,050,000
> Matchup: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots

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