Coincidentally in these days of self-isolation, a Lincoln Aviator spot featuring a solitary Matthew McConaughey is iSpot.tv’s most-viewed automotive ad – generating the most impressions across national broadcast and cable TV airings.
The top-ranked ad for the week of March 16 shows McConaughey cranking up the heat and relaxing in the back of his ’20 Aviator, alone with nature; it’s a pre-pandemic commercial that suddenly seems newly relevant given that millions of Americans are engaging in government-mandated self-quarantine and social distancing.
The spot has the best iSpot Attention Index (138) in the ranking, getting 38% fewer interruptions than the average auto ad (interruptions include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).
In the second-place spot from Land Rover, a housebound dog sitting by a window watches a ’20 Evoque driving down the street. The sight prompts a canine daydream of taking a ride and enjoying the breeze from the back seat.
At No.3, actress Brie Larson takes a woman on a whirlwind ride through a busy city, showing there are no compromises to be found with the ’20 Nissan Sentra, which has Nissan Intelligent Mobility features such as rear automatic braking to prevent accidents.
Mercedes-Benz takes fourth place with a commercial promoting its Spring Event, offering four models under $37,000.
The No.5 spot from Buick/GMC is notable for having been crafted to address the current global crisis; the co-branded spot recognizes how “a lot has changed overnight.” Buick and GMC are giving current owners complimentary OnStar crisis assist services, and for new customers, zero-percent financing for up to 84 months with deferred payment options for 120 days. Customers also can shop online and take delivery at home.
With the coronavirus pandemic continuing in the U.S., marketers are starting to shift their TV advertising strategies. And with the absence of live sports, a marketing tentpole for many big industries including automakers, there are questions about where else to reach viewers.
For the week of March 16, news networks (Fox News, CNN, MSNBC) led for TV ad impressions for automakers.
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1. Lincoln Motor Company: Warm Escape
Impressions: 345,247,074
Attention Score: 95.07
Attention Index: 138
Est. TV Spend: $2,957,592
2. Land Rover: Own the Adventure Sales Event: A Dog's Dream
Impressions: 261,553,079
Attention Score: 93.56
Attention Index: 118
Est. TV Spend: $3,009,351
3. Nissan: Refuse to Compromise
Impressions: 251,768,286
Attention Score: 94.44
Attention Index: 130
Est. TV Spend: $5,492,834
4. Mercedes-Benz: Spring Event: Wish Granted
Impressions: 225,148,586
Attention Score: 78.80
Attention Index: 37
Est. TV Spend: $2,442,822
Impressions: 161,324,608
Attention Score: 92.89
Attention Index: 110
Est. TV Spend: $1,787,567
Data provided by iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company.
TV Impressions - Total TV ad impressions delivered for the brand or spot.
Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.
Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.
Est. National TV Spend - Amount spent on TV airings for the brand’s spots.
