Aviator Soars to Top of Most-Watched Auto Ads List

After topping iSpot.tv’s list of most-watched auto ads for over a month, Jeep steps aside to make room for a new frontrunner: Lincoln’s “Where Does The Stress Go” spot for the 2022 Aviator.

The Aviator ad leapfrogged from No.3 take the lead for the week of Sept. 27 with an estimated national spend twice as high as its next closest competitor, and it tallied double the impressions.

However, Jeep didn’t fall far, dropping to second place due largely to a 65% drop in estimated national spend, resulting in less than half the airings. Viewers still enjoy the spot titled “The Best Things,” though. According to iSpot’s Ace Metrix survey data, the ad’s visual scenes scored 21% over the norm as the “single best thing” about the ad, while overall watchability was 4% better than the norm. 

Following Cadillac in third (rising a notch from No.4 last time) are two ads new to the list: Subaru’s “Go Further” and Audi’s “Progress.” Subaru bucked the industry trend by generating most of its impressions not from college or NFL football, but rather through news programming such as “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “The 11th Hour With Brian Williams.” Ace Metrix data scores the ad 6.1% higher than the industry norm for both attention and watchability, while its likeability rating is 9.6% higher. 

Audi’s “Progress” ad, featuring actor/singer Janelle Monáe, clocks in at a full minute in support of its RS e-tron GT electric vehicle. The automaker leaned heavily on NFL programming for impressions, with 47.8% of its estimated national spend directed at Sunday games that delivered over 18% of the views. 

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Lincoln Motor Company: Where Does the Stress Go

Impressions: 445,823,924 

Interruption Rate: 2.35% 

Attention Index: 100 

Est. TV Spend: $4,760,465

Jeep: The Best Things

Impressions: 221,908,061 

Interruption Rate: 2.57% 

Attention Index: 118 

Est. TV Spend: $2,762,120

Cadillac: Flip the Script

Impressions: 204,746,892 

Interruption Rate: 2.24% 

Attention Index: 104 

Est. TV Spend: $1,444,708

Subaru: Go Further

Impressions: 151,501,544 

Interruption Rate: 2.75% 

Attention Index: 97 

Est. TV Spend: $1,057,094

Audi: Progress

Impressions: 136,363,015 

Interruption Rate: 1.96% 

Attention Index: 120 

Est. TV Spend: $2,250,554

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.