Super Bowl Scores Nearly $4 Million Per Spot

This year's average Super Bowl commercial price is expected to climb to about the same level as a year ago -- close to 10% -- with many commercials bought at $4 million for a 30-second commercial. Average pricing for a 30-second commercial for this year's big football game on Feb. 3 on CBS featuring the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers will hit around $3.8 million, according to industry executives. Nielsen says Super Bowl pricing in 2012 on NBC was $3.4 million on average for a 30-second commercial, up around 9% or $300,000 from 2011. Automotive commercials has been more dominant than ever. Nielsen says automotive was the top category, outspending beer category by nearly threefold in 2012: $90.5 million. (Auto was at a collective $23 million in 2008). The beer category was a distant second place at $31.5 million in 2012. Movie marketers and soft drink advertisers came next, each at around $21 million. Next was general consumer advertisers at about $10 million.