NFL Advertising Surge: Automakers Rejoin the Game in 2023

In 2023, automakers are re-engaging with advertising during the NFL season after a period of reduced activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain issues that led to low vehicle inventories. With inventory levels improving, companies are leveraging the NFL's massive viewership, which averaged 17.9 million viewers per game last season, to promote their new products. Toyota has become the 'Official Automotive Partner of the NFL,' launching a new campaign called 'Roll Deep' to capitalize on this partnership. The automotive sector has significantly increased its advertising budget for the NFL, with 44% of national TV ad spending allocated to the league during the last season. This is a notable rise compared to the 31% across all sectors, highlighting the NFL's substantial impact on automotive advertising. Experts predict that automotive ad spending will continue to grow, with a 17% increase observed over the past two seasons. Major networks like NBCUniversal are also benefiting from this trend, as they own key broadcasting rights for NFL games, including 'Sunday Night Football.' Automakers are expected to maintain a strong presence in live sports advertising, which remains a lucrative avenue for reaching consumers despite economic uncertainties. As the NFL season progresses, other automakers, such as Stellantis and Hyundai, are also preparing to launch new advertising campaigns. The overall trend indicates a robust recovery in automotive advertising, driven by the NFL's popularity and the industry's need to promote new vehicle offerings effectively.