Bloomberg & Trump Spend $10 Million On Super Bowl Ads

Both former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and President Donald Trump have bought 60-second Super Bowl advertisement slots said to be priced at about $10 million.

After the New York Times reported of Bloomberg’s presidential campaign buy, Trump’s presidential campaign announced that they too secured a 60-second ad during the game. 

Both New Yorkers are preparing for a political duel on game night. Michael Frazier, a spokesman for the Bloomberg campaign, said about the ad, “The biggest point is getting under Trump’s skin.” 

He continued by describing Bloomberg’s strategy which, according to Frazier, is “running a national campaign that focuses on states where the general election will be decided, parts of the country that are often overlooked.” According to Advertising Analytics, Bloomberg’s campaign has already spent  $170 million on television and digital advertising. 

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Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, said, “President Trump made the unprecedented decision to keep the campaign open following his first election, which allows us to do things like buying a Super Bowl ad. We have the means to raise a national campaign unlike any other candidate.”

This is a rare move for both sides, as investing money on advertisement that reaches all 50 states instead of key swing states is often seen as a waste. However, the ads were strategically chosen. The Iowa Caucuses are set to take place the day after the Super Bowl, and Trump’s State of the Union Address is scheduled for the following Tuesday. 

It’s not certain how much each side will be paying for the advertisements, but Fox, who’s broadcasting the event, is said to be asking for $5 million per 30-seconds of ad time.

The Super Bowl is the most watched television event in the country, with last year’s bringing in about 98 million viewers on CBS.