Toyota Has Most-Seen Auto Ad Heading Into March Madness

For a third week in a row, Toyota claims first place in iSpot.tv’s ranking of the most-viewed automotive commercials – the ads that have generated the highest number of impressions across national broadcast and cable TV airings.

Toyota’s “More Me” is the No.1 most-seen single spot across all of TV for the week of March 7, with iSpot’s Ace Metrix survey data revealing the ad is 1.3% more “watchable” than the norm, and 5.8% more “relevant.” It also scored 94% brand recognition for Toyota (meaning survey respondents remembered it was a Toyota ad after watching it) – well above the industry norm of 78% for automakers.

March Madness is now in full swing, and automakers are diving into advertising during the games to take advantage of the increased interest in basketball (especially among likely car buyers).

Auto brands were the third-most seen marketer category during men’s college basketball games from March 7-13, with 9.1% of impressions, with Lexus the most-seen brand – across all industries – during games, with 2.8% of impressions in the timeframe. Lexus’s most-seen spot was “Amazing Invites,” which scored over 38% of its impressions during men’s college basketball games. The ad was the No.4 most-seen automaker ad in iSpot’s ranking.

As the No.2 spot by impressions, Cadillac’s “Fortune Favors the Fearless” generated 4.3% more attention than the norm and communicated information 12.4% more effectively, according to iSpot’s Ace Metrix. Survey respondents saw the ad as “upscale” and “cinematic,” and 28% saw the product itself as the “single best thing” about the spot.

Infiniti’s “Band Recital” humorously uses a not-so-great elementary-school band to showcase the QX60’s sound-insulated cabin. Yet interestingly, the music is seen as the “single best thing” about the spot, according to 24% of Ace Metrix survey respondents. Nearly 22% of the ad’s impressions were delivered during reality-TV programming, with another 20% during movies.

Subaru’s “Girls’ Trip” garnered 4.4% more attention than the automaker norm and was 13.8% more likable, according to Ace Metrix survey respondents. They also found the ad to be 9.2% more watchable, with the spot’s narrative and heartfelt themes resonating most. The characters (a grandmother and granddaughter) were the single best thing about the commercial, according to 25% of respondents.

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1. Toyota: More Me

Impressions: 187,324,290

Interruption Rate: 2.15%

Attention Index: 105

Est. TV Spend: $1,046,391

2. Cadillac: Fortune Favors the Fearless

Impressions: 184,872,190

Interruption Rate: 2.75%

Attention Index: 96

Est. TV Spend: $1,145,100

3. Infiniti: Band Recital

Impressions: 169,080,308

Interruption Rate: 2.20%

Attention Index: 105

Est. TV Spend: $1,407,523

4. Lexus: Amazing Invites

Impressions: 144,529,531

Interruption Rate: 1.31%

Attention Index: 98

Est. TV Spend: $741,509

5. Subaru: Girls’ Trip

Impressions: 128,447,381

Interruption Rate: 2.58%

Attention Index: 105

Est. TV Spend: $1,254,248

Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands

*Ace Metrix auto industry norms data measured over the last 90 days.

TV Impressions - Total TV ad impressions delivered for the brand or spot.

Interruption Rate - The rate at which the audience present at the beginning of your ad disengages with it before it ends.

Attention Index - A comparison of your ad’s Interruption Rate against your specific media placement. The Attention Index is measured on a scale of 0 to 200, where 100 is the average and means your ad is performing as expected.

Est. National TV Spend - Amount spent on TV airings for the brand’s spots.