Amid a subdued Super Bowl week, brands call a marketing audible

As the pandemic continues to hammer the economy–and profoundly alter fans’ plans for this year’s big game–companies are adjusting ad plans accordingly.

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The Super Bowl will be missing a few familiar faces this Sunday.

Somehow, Tom Brady will still manage to make an appearance. But several notable brands have decided not to run a Super Bowl ad this year.

For the first time in nearly 40 years, there will be no Budweiser Super Bowl commercial. Coca-Cola and Pepsi have also opted out.

Like everything else these days, the move is driven largely by COVID-19.

The year’s most expensive media buy – clocking in at $5.5 million – takes on a different tone for many organizations amid struggling business lines and layoffs.

Budweiser said it is “reallocating the media investment” to supporting the Ad Council and COVID-19 vaccine awareness. Coke also cited “these unprecedented times” in its decision to sit out the big game.

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