Dodge Swarms Into Top Spot Among Most-Seen Auto TV Ads

Dodge is putting the pedal to the metal with its commercial for the new Hornet, which takes first place on iSpot.tv’s most-seen auto ads ranking for April 3-9. The spot generated 189.3 million national TV ad impressions – an 812% increase compared to the previous week – with an 85% increase in estimated TV ad spend and a 1,488% increase in ad airings week-over-week. News programming delivered top impressions counts, led by CNN Tonight, The Lead With Jake Tapper and CBS Mornings. 

“To Be a Ram: Have Heart” takes No.2 for the second week in a row. Although airings increased 9% week-over-week, national TV ad impressions were down 3% to 168.9 million, and estimated TV ad spend decreased nearly 20%. Cable news networks including MSNBC, Fox News and NewsNation led for the impressions-generating networks, while top programs by impressions included The First 48, Blue Bloods and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. 

Subaru’s two spots strike remarkably different tones. Adorable dogs ready for soccer practice star in the third-place spot promoting the Ascent, which generated 155.2 million TV ad impressions. The furry friends clearly resonated with viewers: According to iSpot’s Creative Assessment, 37% of survey respondents cited the characters as the single best thing about the ad. Subaru’s No.5 spot, meanwhile, starts with a montage of crash tests for the Forester model, with a spokesperson noting how the brand is constantly “working to undo the impact a crash can have on your life.” iSpot’s Creative Assessment survey data shows this ad had 94% brand recognition (the percentage of survey respondents who remembered it was a Subaru ad after watching it), above the automaker industry norm of 80%. 

Fourth place goes to Chevrolet’s “Big Life,” highlighting the various features of the new Colorado pickup. This ad, which racked up 154.6 million TV ad impressions, had the highest national TV ad spend (est. $3.1 million) in the ranking, with the majority (est. $2.1 million) going toward an airing during the NCAA men’s college basketball championship game. (This was the only ad in the top-five ranking that aired during that telecast.)

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1. Dodge: Swarming the Nation 

Impressions: 189,345,991

Interruption Rate: 2.53%

Attention Index: 93

Est. TV Spend: $1,094,033

2. Ram Trucks: Truck Month: To Be a Ram: Have Heart 

Impressions: 168,933,961

Interruption Rate: 3.28%

Attention Index: 90

Est. TV Spend: $1,098,084

3. Subaru: Dog Tested: Soccer Practice 

Impressions: 155,323,475

Interruption Rate: 2.97%

Attention Index: 96

Est. TV Spend: $1,345,071

4. Chevrolet: Big Life 

Impressions: 154,551,685

Interruption Rate: 2.96%

Attention Index: 94

Est. TV Spend: $3,051,734

5. Subaru: Crash Safety 

Impressions: 150,984,195

Interruption Rate: 3.05%

Attention Index: 90

Est. TV Spend: $1,264,935

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.