Super Bowl Ads Vs. Political Campaigns

The going rate for Super Bowl ads is about $2.5 million. That $2.5 million buys you just 30 seconds. Which raises the question: How far would $2.5 million go in politics?

Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, a firm that tracks political ads on TV, says that amount of money "could go a long way in a competitive congressional race this year. Tracey mentioned Arkansas, where Blanche Lincoln may be the most vulnerable Senate Democrat this year. "You could certainly get, you know, two or three months of a pretty consistent message out there," Tracey says, on how far $2.5 million would go in that market. This is hardly great news for Lincoln, who had $5 million on hand — on Jan. 1. That was pretty good, until 20 days later, when the Supreme Court opened the door for corporate spending. Now that $5 million is less likely to scare off challengers.