What ads are eligible for Ad Meter?
All national ads that air from after the coin toss through the fourth quarter’s two-minute warning (including halftime) will be rated.
- House promotions for Cable/Broadcast Networks (such as sitcom promos) are not eligible.
- Commercials must be national ads. Even if the spot will air in the top major markets, it’s not eligible. It must be the national spot.
This is the first thing that Ad Meter editors will ask.
How do we submit our national ad?
Once confirmed that your ad is the national spot, you will need to submit the following (to RSuter@gannett.com):
- A YouTube link to the actual commercial that will air during the Super Bowl
- A hi-res image of the commercial (it should be in the 1000 x 600 pixels range)
- The title of the commercial
- Quarter it will air (including halftime)
- Length of commercial
What is the deadline to submit these assets for Ad Meter voting?
We’ll accept a company’s commercial package right up until the coin toss on Super Bowl Sunday.
We’ll only have the extended version on YouTube at that point—will that work?
Ad Meter editors will not accept extended cuts. It must be the exact spot that runs during the Super Bowl.
Will Ad Meter accept any other types of video files?
No. For a brand’s commercial to be uploaded to the Ad Meter site, it must be a YouTube link.
We’ll have the actual YouTube spot available after it airs during the Super Bowl—will that work?
No. Due to the substantial pace and production workload of Ad Meter, it’s not possible to upload a brand’s commercial spot along with images, description, etc., while other brands—that submitted on time—are expecting their spots to go live as it airs.
Brands must submit all assets before the coin toss.
* Editor’s note: It’s common practice to submit a private YT link to Ad Meter that will remain private until the commercial airs. Ad Meter editors will agree to the embargo and are the only ones who will see the spot.
Is there a correlation between Ad Meter success and YouTube views?
No. The amount of views that a commercial receives on YouTube’s platform does not carry any weight during the Ad Meter rating process.
* Editor’s note: The view counts a commercial receives on Ad Meter will factor into the overall views on the spot’s YouTube count.
Why do we need a hi-res image?
The image acts as the thumbnail to the commercial, and the video will not populate on the voting platform without one.
* Editor’s note: This step frequently gets overthought. While many brands have submitted an image in the past, a company can just as quickly take a screenshot of the video from YouTube and submit that—the screenshot fits the 1000 x 600 range.
There is a brief description that accompanies the commercial—can we control what’s written?
Ad Meter editors welcome any info about the commercial, but the blurb that accompanies the video is part of our editorial process. So we will not accept any copy from the brands.
When does Ad Meter voting begin?
While the timeline is subject to change, Ad Meter voting has historically kicked off the Wednesday before the big game, beginning at noon ET. This year is it 2/9.
Are we able to promote our Super Bowl commercial for Ad Meter voting?
Absolutely. Participation in USA TODAY Ad Meter is why we created the platform and process back in 1989. The more voices, the better. And as we move forward in the Digital Age, we fully expect brands to use social media outlets as a way to promote a campaign.
Are we able to do ‘paid promotions’ on social media?
Yes. Brands that wish to execute paid promotions for their Super Bowl commercial/Ad Meter voting may do so.
* Editor’s note: Here are the overall guidelines for social media and use of the Ad Meter IP:
Organic Social Posts
- USA TODAY does not require a review of organic social posts, but as a courtesy, will review for accuracy
- Please allow two business days for reviewPaid Social Posts
- When using “Ad Meter” or linking to the Ad Meter website in a paid social post, please send post(s)
to RSuter@gannett.com & admeter@usatoday.com for review before going live - Please send two business days before campaign going liveUse of IP
- You may use “Ad Meter” in text form and link to our website: admeter.usatoday.com
- You may not use the Ad Meter logo or elements of this year’s surrounding creative campaign
- We advise you not to use “Super Bowl” unless NFL has approved you to do so
Can an advertiser “game” the system using paid social media—or any other means?
No. Ad Meter participation requires that a registered Ad Meter panelist must vote on every commercial for their votes to count. It’s not a one-and-done system. So driving voters to a specific ad doesn’t overload the voting because the newly registered users must continue voting for their ratings to become official.
* Editor’s note: The USA TODAY Ad Meter team has not seen any correlation between top-rated ads and the brand’s use of social media (paid or not).
What if a voter rates one ad a “10” and gives underwhelming marks to all the other ads?
USA TODAY Ad Meter has continuously monitored our registrations and audited the rating process closely for any patterns or discrepancies—like bulk voting or Bots—and has investigated anything that seems odd.
There are systems in place to flag such behavior, and this will continue in 2022 and beyond.
Are employees of a company with a national spot in the Super Bowl allowed to register for Ad Meter and vote?
Yes. We encourage Ad Meter participation, so this is perfectly acceptable.
What if we have a national Super Bowl commercial but don’t want to be included in the Ad Meter ratings?
Brands with a national spot—including movie trailers—that do not wish to be part of Ad Meter may opt out. We only ask that you submit this in writing to RSuter@gannett.com.