Subaru Spots Lead Most-Watched Auto Ad Ranking

Subaru is far and away the winner when it comes to most-seen auto TV ads for July 3-9, with two spots racking up 452.6 million TV ad impressions – more than the other three ads on iSpot’s ranking combined. Although the spots have similar outlay, impression counts and top networks and programs for impression delivery, each set a very different tone. The first-place commercial explains how Subaru has helped nearly 300,000 cancer patients nationwide through its “Love Promise,” while the No.2 ad proudly shares the news that Consumer Reports named Subaru the 2023 Best Mainstream Brand. 

Third place goes to a Chevrolet Blazer BEV spot with a Barbie movie tie-in complete with quick appearances by cast members Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and America Ferrara. Over a third of the ad’s 157.6 million national TV ad impressions came from HGTV – more than twice as many delivered by the second-place network (Fox News, 21.3 million impressions). Unlike the other ranked spots that focused on primetime, it was the early morning daypart that delivered the most impressions for Chevy/Barbie, with Today (16.2 million impressions), CBS Mornings (7.2 million) and Good Morning America (6.1 million) as three of the top five programs.

Ram Trucks uses a different approach with its fourth-place ad proclaiming that “summer is more than a season.” Sports delivered top impression counts, led by the NASCAR Cup Series (8.9 million impressions), MLB games (3.5 million) and NBA Summer League games (3.1 million). According to iSpot’s Creative Assessment, this ad scored above the norm for attention, likeability, desire and relevance. 

Kia takes the phrase “bird’s-eye view” literally in its No.5 ad – a bald eagle snatches up a cell phone, prompting an unlucky couple to chase after it in their ’23 Sportage Hybrid. The spot ran up 105.2 million national TV ad impressions, 62% of which came from primetime ad airings. Per iSpot’s Creative Assessment, 30% of surveyed viewers found the visual scenes to be the best thing about the commercial.  

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1. Subaru: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Loves to Care 

Impressions: 229,151,547

Interruption Rate: 3.61%

Attention Index: 91

Est. TV Spend: $1,506,225

2. Subaru: The Results Are In 

Impressions: 223,451,669

Interruption Rate: 3.32%

Attention Index: 91

Est. TV Spend: $1,511,465

3. Chevrolet: Blazer EV and Barbie 

Impressions: 157,606,276

Interruption Rate: 2.23%

Attention Index: 103

Est. TV Spend: $1,013,616

4. Ram Trucks: Make This the Summer Event: Opportunity 

Impressions: 136,446,368

Interruption Rate: 3.17%

Attention Index: 102

Est. TV Spend: $672,220

5. Kia: Bird's Eye View 

Impressions: 105,229,487

Interruption Rate: 3.24%

Attention Index: 101

Est. TV Spend: $856,547

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.