Most Expensive NFL Super Bowl Ads: Where Does Lionel Messi Rank?

Just half a season was all it took for Lionel Messi to take the MLS by storm. His presence has resulted in significantly increased game attendance and it looks like the Super Bowl has no doubts regarding the Messi effect. The Inter Miami ace is part of an advertisement for football’s biggest event on February 11. The teaser was released just a few hours ago. Despite, his immense sporting stature, this is Lionel Messi’s first-ever NFL-related appearance! As Super Bowl commercials are never cheap, this holds particularly true when the name in question is Lionel Messi. How expensive was this ad compared to some of Super Bowl’s finest ads? Let us explore the financial aspects.

Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi reaches a new high with NFL-Super Bowl crossover!

The teaser features Lionel Messi ordering a drink from Michelob Ultra on the beach. He points towards the Michelob Ulta beer tap faucet and the bartender reaches for a glass. However, while filling the glass for him, they seemed to have run out of beer! Both stars shared a smirk on their face and it cut to the tagline.

The ad shared the tagline, ‘Don’t Run Out, Order Now’, and with the caption, ‘This #SuperBowlLVIII, Messi proves that a Superior Light Beer is worth the wait’. Notably, Michelob Ultra’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch spends millions on commercials.

Last year’s ad cost them $7 million for 30 seconds! Hence, the $14 million being charged for the entire 60-second spot is fairly on the average side, when has the aforementioned context. However, this hefty amount is nothing compared to the immense marketability of the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner.

He already has deals in place with huge brands like Adidas, Apple TV, Royal Caribbean, & Gatorade. Moreover, with $498 million Instagram followers, his immense social media presence will greatly benefit the Super Bowl which already boasts a viewership of over 100 million! Despite, shelling out $14 million for the advertisement, you might be surprised to know that is far from the most expensive Super Bowl ad ever. In fact, it barely cracks the top 10! Let’s dive deeper.

The most expensive Super Bowl ads- Where does the Messi collaboration stand?

2022 saw the most expensive commercial in the history of the MLS, the ‘Mind Reader’.  It highlights Alexa as a mind-reader and features Scarlett Johansson & her spouse Colin Jost. The 130-second ad cost a whopping $26 million! Second and third on the list are ads from General Motors & Cadillac and it is automobile-based. Both ads were released in 2021 with a jaw-dropping production cost of $22 million!

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Scrolling down the list, at 10th place is one from Kia in 2019. This ‘Give It Everything’ commercial cost $5.2 million per 30 seconds, and a total of $15.6 million. Therefore, 2023’s Lionel Messi advertisement is firmly out of the Top 10. However, more money doesn’t equate to a better commercial. Lebron James‘ ad, ‘Fortune favours the Brave’ in 2022 was immensely popular and was not the most expensive. Likewise for the Serena Williams Remy Martin ad last year. Hence, it looks like Anheuser-Busch has got a bargain with Lionel Messi.

What is your take on Lionel Messi’s Super Bowl teaser? Tell us in the comments below.

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