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Ford and General Motors used to be mainstays of Super Bowl ads, but no more

Amidst fierce competition in EVs, automakers have hit the brakes on Big Game ads, with Stellantis the only one in this year’s lineup.

Hyunsoo Rim

2/13/25 9:11AM

While the on-field analysis of Super Bowl LIX has broadly wrapped up after the blowout Eagles victory on Sunday, the advertising industry has been busy dissecting the winners and losers of the Super Bowl ads, some of which cost more than $8 million for a 30-second slot.

Yet among the ~60 advertisers vying for the attention of the 128 million average viewers, a once dominant player was largely absent: car brands. This year, only one showed up: Jeep, with a two-minute cinematic ad starring Harrison Ford behind the wheel of a Wrangler.

The four carmakers that ran commercials last year (Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW, and Kia) pulled back altogether.

This retreat isn’t new — automakers’ share of Super Bowl ad screen time has been shrinking for years, according to TV ad measurement firm iSpot.tv. After roaring back postrecession, carmakers like Ford poured record sums into Super Bowl ads in 2011 and 2012, producing some of the most iconic commercials in history and commanding ~40% of all Super Bowl ad time. Last year, that share had dwindled to 8%, and this year it dropped even further, to just 7%.

Why are car companies sitting out?

While Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis, had little choice but to advertise, amid a leadership shake-up and lagging US sales, most automakers no longer see the steep price tag as worth it, especially with growing challenges across the industry. For one, the EV boom is slowing, with President Trump pushing to remove tax credits — a move that could further dampen already sluggish demand and force automakers to rethink aggressive EV marketing. Indeed, the share of Super Bowl car ads featuring EVs (measured by run time) dropped last year for the first time since 2016, per iSpot.tv.

Shifting Gears

As these pressures mount and tariffs loom on auto imports from China, Canada, and Mexico — the largest auto parts exporter to the US — automakers may continue to steer away from costly TV ads, where the Super Bowl remains one of the last strongholds. According to eMarketer, TV ad spending for the auto industry dropped 8.6% year over year in 2024, and is projected to keep falling through 2026.

Instead, car brands are turning to digital ads, a cheaper and more effective alternative in today’s streaming- and social-media-dominated era. In 2021, the auto industry spent more on digital ads than traditional media for the first time — a gap that’s expected to widen to 60% digital by 2027, according to market research firm BIA.

Note: A previous version of this article used a forecast for the 2025 figure. This has now been updated with the actual figure.

Max Knoblauch6/15/26

Electronic Arts launches a platform to put more ads in its games

Video game publishing giant EA launched a new platform on Monday designed to make the process of selling immersive ad space in its popular games easier.

The company says the platform, called EA Advertising, allows brands to “integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content.”

More so than other studios, EA has incorporated advertising into its most popular titles. As Kotaku points out, the company’s ad efforts stretch as far back as 2006. Several of its sports franchises already feature partnerships with brands like Visa, Lowe’s, Red Bull, and PepsiCo.

In-game advertising hasn’t exactly been embraced by fans, but industry experts expect it to ramp up as companies seek more revenue to offset higher games budgets and surging memory costs. EA rival Take-Two has taken a different approach, with CEO Strauss Zelnick recently saying the company was “not at risk of doing brand partnerships” in the forthcoming “Grand Theft Auto VI,” and that ads in full-price games seems “unfair.”

The $55 billion deal to take EA private, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is set to close at the end of this month. Being the largest leveraged buyout in history, EA will likely look for more ways to boost revenue to cover interest payments.

Electronic Arts Makes Push for Ad Dollars Tied to Sports

Millie Giles6/11/26

JM Smucker says it sold $1 billion worth of Uncrustables in FY2026

After years of booming sandwich sales, JM Smucker has finally earned a billion-dollar crust.

On Tuesday, the company reported results for fiscal year 2026, highlighting better-than-expected profits driven by higher prices for coffee and sweet baked goods. However, at another point on the earnings call, CEO Mark Smucker pointed to one particularly jammy figure: in line with previous forecasts, the company sold $1 billion worth of its (almost always) crustless sandwiches, Uncrustables, in the last year alone.

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

Paramount reportedly offers concessions to resolve multistate antitrust investigation

Paramount has reportedly offered up some concessions in an effort to prevent an antitrust lawsuit by California and about 10 other states, according to Bloomberg reporting on Monday.

Reuters first reported on the potential suit from a group of unnamed states last week, which could throw a wrench in Paramount’s plans to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood megamerger.

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

Paramount Offers Concessions to Head Off State Antitrust Lawsuit

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

$98B ⛽

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

The IATA released its latest financial outlook for the airline industry over the weekend, forecasting a $98 billion jump in the sector’s collective fuel bill. The world’s largest trade group representing airlines expects the oil spike to halve profits by 49% from last year to $23 billion.

The group also expects profit margins to halve year over year, falling from 2025’s 4.2% to 2%. Still, revenue is expected to climb to $1.17 trillion from $1.07 trillion.

A surge in the cost of jet fuel has rocked US and global airlines this year, leading Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, and others to raise fares and ancillary charges like bag fees. Low-cost carriers, which operate on smaller margins, have been squeezed the hardest, resulting in Spirit’s shutdown.

“It’s a tough year for all airlines, especially those whose balance sheets had not yet recovered from COVID. And, of course, for those operating in the Gulf,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, who added that demand is holding up and about half of passengers expect to spend more on travel this year. “That bodes well for a strong northern summer peak season. The big unknown is how long travelers and shippers can tolerate the higher costs of connectivity.”