Amazon’s decision to broadcast the first-ever Black Friday game could pave the way for the future of advertising.
According to Ad Age, Amazon will use its proprietary ad technology to show targeted ads to viewers in the same time slot. Not only will the ads target viewers based on their Amazon Prime status and search history, but the ads will also be shoppable, meaning users will be able to add items to their Amazon cart without leaving the broadcast or missing out on any action during the game.
30-Second Ad Slot Prices Jump By 100% For Black Friday Game
Amazon paid $100 million to broadcast the NFL’s first-ever Black Friday game, which is expected to be one of the most-viewed contests of the season.
As a result, the company is planning to sell 30-second advertisements for 2x the cost of an ad placement on Thursday Night Football. According to Joe Pompliano, a 30-second advertisement on TNF costs arround $440,000 while the Black Friday advertisements will cost $880,000 for a 30-second slot.
With the ability to target specific demographics, Amazon’s “audience-based creative” ad strategy could pay off big time. And since brands will be able to target difference audience segments within the same time slot, Amazon can actually sell more advertisements during the game compared to a typical TV broadcast.
Comparing NFL Thanksgiving Viewership To NBA Christmas Day
- NBA Christmas Day: 4.27 million
- NFL Thanksgiving Day: 33.5 million
The NFL Thanksgiving Day games are among the most-watched games of the season. Last season, the NFL averaged 33.5 million viewers during Thanksgiving Day. The Cowboys-Giants led the way at 42 million viewers, making it the most-watched regular-season broadcast of all-time. Compared to the NBA’s Christmas Day games, which only averaged 4.27 million viewers, the NFL reaches a much bigger audience during the holidays.
But for Amazon, the decision to broadcast the game was about more than simply attracting viewers — it’s about converting them. Amazon’s first Thursday Night Foobtall broadcast generated more Prime sign-ups than any other three-hour window in company history.
Why Hasn’t The NFL Played A Black Friday Game Before?
If the game is nearly guaranteed to be successful, why hasn’t the NFL ever played a Black Friday game?
Unlike most holidays, Black Friday is a day known for shopping and most people leave the house to cash in on big savings. However, there is another reason that has stopped the league from playing Friday games. The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 prohibits NFL games on Fridays after 6pm ET and all day on Saturdays during the fall.
But, after Amazon offered $100 million for the game, the NFL found a loophole and decided the game would be played at 3pm ET.
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