The Academy Awards By the numbers

43,000,000 In 2014, 43 million people tuned in to watch the broadcast of the Academy Awards show, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres

31,760,000 In 2008, the Oscars telecast (hosted by Jon Stewart) recorded its lowest ratings when 31.76 million viewers tuned in for the 80th anniversary of the Academy Awards

55,000,000 The most watched Oscars telecast was in 1998 which drew 55 million viewers. That year Titanic won for Best Picture and Billy Crystal was the evening’s host.

$75 million ABC has televised every Oscars telecast since 1976, the network has a $75 million-a-year contract with the Motion Pictures Academy to air the awards show through 2020.

200 It is estimated that viewers tune in from more than 200 countries each and every year to watch the Oscars

$1 billion According to a CNBC report, last year’s “impromptu” selfie (and subsequent tweet) provided a value of between $800 million and $1 billion in exposure for Samsung (the pic was taken on a Samsung Galaxy device and tweeted during the broadcast)

$1.00 Oscar winners are not allowed to sell their statue to anyone other than back to the Academy… And what does the Academy charge to buy the award? One dollar.

$861,542 In 1941, Orson Welles's won an Oscar for "Citizen Kane" (Best Original Screenplay). His heirs would later sell the statue at an auction for $861,542 after winning a lawsuit granting them permission to sell it.

$167,000 USA Today reports that this year’s Oscar nominee “swag” bags contain a record $167,000 worth of gifts. That's $17,000 more than the previous record of $150,000 set back in 2005.

$200 million The top five advertisers for the Oscar telecast over the past five years have been JC Penney ($50.8 million), Hyundai ($44.9 million), Samsung ($43.4 million), Coca-Cola ($31.1 million) and American Express ($28.8 million). Over the five years, these five advertisers have spent nearly $200 million on the show.

$1.76 million In 2014 the price for ad time for the Oscars increased for the fifth consecutive year. The average cost for :30 ad in 2014 was $1.76 million and total ad volume was $95 million. Both were all –time highs. In 2013 the average ad rate was $1.65 million and $88.3 million in total ad volume. By comparison, the ad volume for the 2014 Grammy Awards was $76.2 million and the 2014 Golden Globes was $37.2 million. (Kantar Media)

$1.95 million The price of a 30-second commercial spot during this year’s Oscars telecast reached an average of $1.95 million, up 8% from last year, according to a story in the LA Times.

24 McDonald's is set to make its 24th straight appearance on Hollywood's biggest night, and American Express will mark its 23rd year. Some new entrants include Netflix and PetSmart.

questions for class discussion The Academy Awards questions for class discussion

discussion questions 1) Why do advertisers spend so much advertising during the academy awards 2) Why do you think the academy refuses to allow winners to sell their statue? 3) How do you think social media influences the way marketers approach award shows like the oscars?

discussion questions 4) What kind of economic impact can winning an academy award have on a particular film? 5) What kind of economic impact can winning an academy award have on the career for individual winners (producers, directors, screenwriters, actors, actresses etc.)? 6) how do you think the idea of viewers throwing oscars parties might influence marketers of particular brands?