Campaigns Spend Millions for Big Game TV Commercials

Michael Bloomberg will air a Super Bowl ad tackling gun violence, while President Trump will run one about the economy, as the billionaire presidential candidates place their campaigns in front of the year’s largest television audience, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Bloomberg plans to offer an emotionally charged 60-second ad during Sunday’s game broadcast, in a bet by the former New York City mayor that his campaign for the Democratic nomination will benefit from taking on a controversial topic.

Trump’s re-election campaign intends to run two 30-second ads during the game, including one that the campaign released Thursday through a text to supporters. The ad cites economic indicators such as job growth and the unemployment rate, including jobless rates for minority groups.

In general, 30 seconds of ad time during the game this year sold for as much as $5.6 million, according to Fox, which will broadcast the Super Bowl.

Mr. Bloomberg’s ad, titled “George,” features the story of George Kemp Jr., who died of gun violence in 2013 at age 20. The ad features Mr. Kemp’s mother discussing her son’s love of football and his untimely death, as well as her support for Mr. Bloomberg and his intention to confront the gun lobby. Gun violence has been a core issue for Mr. Bloomberg.


Since the billionaire entered the race for the Democratic nomination in November, his self-funded campaign has spent more than $286 million on advertising, including $210 million on broadcast television, according to advertising tracker Kantar/CMAG. His commercials have largely consisted of biographical ads and attacks directed at Mr. Trump. He has also drawn a contrast with the president over issues such as health care and climate change.

Bloomberg’s ad spending dwarfs that by any of his rivals for the Democratic nomination, with billionaire Tom Steyer’s campaign clocking in with the second-highest sum: $169 million. Mr. Trump’s campaign has spent about $53 million on advertising, including roughly $16 million on broadcast TV, according to Kantar/CMAG.


The Super Bowl, which has often attracted more than 100 million TV viewers in recent years, is the biggest and most expensive advertising day of the year, an opportunity for new brands to be launched and established ones to reach new audiences.