Kia Has Most-Seen Auto TV Ad of 2023

With over 2.7 billion TV ad impressions, a Kia spot for the Sportage Hybrid takes first place in iSpot.tv’s ranking of the most-seen auto TV ads of 2023 (Jan. 1 through Dec. 14). The commercial follows a couple’s wild chase across rugged terrain to recover a phone stolen by an intrepid bird. America’s Got Talent was the top impressions-driving program (104.3 million impressions), followed by college football (80.1 million) and the NFL (69.7 million). 

At No.2 is Chevrolet’s “Build,” credited with 2.2 billion TV ad impressions. Cable news networks were a primary source of impressions, led by MSNBC (140.6 million impressions), CNN (134.2 million) and Fox News (128.4 million). Looking at top programs by impressions, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was in the lead with 57.1 million impressions, followed by Dateline (37.1 million) and Chicago Fire (35.1 million). 

Also with about 2.2 billion TV ad impressions is the third-place Lexus spot for the ES. SportsCenter generated more than twice the impressions of the No.2 program, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (131.9 million vs. 58.1 million, respectively), with men’s college basketball a close third (56 million impressions). Lexus also has one of the year’s most-liked auto TV ads  (more on that below). 

Fourth place goes to Infiniti’s “Guy Thing” commercial for the QX80, which received 1.9 billion TV ad impressions. The top three impressions-generating networks were HGTV (170.5 million impressions), ESPN (141.4 million) and TNT (126.3 million). Looking at top programming, the NBA led with 77 million impressions, followed by House Hunters (51.5 million) and SportsCenter (51 million). 

In fifth place is a spot for the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness which also racked up 1.9 billion TV ad impressions. NBC was the top network by impressions (251.7 million), followed by CBS (112.6 million) and ABC (101.2 million). Not only does Subaru make iSpot’s 2023 ranking by impressions, but it also dominates auto TV ads when it comes to likability: According to iSpot’s Creative Assessment, the automaker owns three of the five most-liked auto commercials (with more than 100 million TV ad impressions) this year. Two of those are part of the humorous “Dog Tested” campaign, including the No.1 spot by likability, “Dog Tested: Soccer Practice.” This commercial also ranked high for purchase intent, with 49% of surveyed viewers reporting an increased desire to purchase a Subaru after watching the ad. “Dog Tested: Bikers,” promoting the Outback, and “Love Is All Around,” which highlights Subaru’s commitment to supporting various charities, also earned top scores for likability. 

Porsche’s sleek spot “What the 911 Is to Sports Cars” and the vibrant “Electrified” ad from Lexus are two of the other top auto ads by likability. Notably, “Electrified” also was the No.2 Lexus spot by TV ad impressions, racking up 1.7 billion across the year. 

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1. Kia: Bird’s Eye View

Impressions: 2,713,937,599

Interruption Rate: 3.39%

Attention Index: 98

Est. TV Spend: $28,245,033

2. Chevrolet: Build

Impressions: 2,194,721,111

Interruption Rate: 3.35%

Attention Index: 87

Est. TV Spend: $10,986,813

3. Lexus: Not Just For You, By You

Impressions: 2,159,078,943

Interruption Rate: 1.87%

Attention Index: 88

Est. TV Spend: $9,195,059

4. Infiniti: Guy Thing

Impressions: 1,938,575,489  

Interruption Rate: 1.45%

Attention Index: 97

Est. TV Spend: $8,493,279

5. Subaru: Push Your Limits

Impressions: 1,880,401,247 

Interruption Rate: 3.41%

Attention Index: 96

Est. TV Spend: $16,736,607

Data provided by iSpot.tv, The New Standard for TV Ad Measurement

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

Interruption Rate - The percentage of devices that were present at the beginning of the ad but did not complete watching the ad. Actions that interrupt ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV. The Interruption Rate is measured on a scale of 0 to 100%.

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

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