Carriers Crank Up Football Ad Spend Ahead of Super Bowl

Wireless Week - Super Bowl 51 is set to kick off on the turf in Houston this weekend, but U.S. wireless carriers have been facing off on a field of a different kind: your TV screen.

All four Tier-1 carriers will likely have creative ad spots run during the Big Game, but some also cranked up spending during the NFL postseason playoffs.

Data from MediaRadar indicates AT&T put the pedal to the metal this year, not only jumping into the top 10 playoff advertisers by spending level, but passing rival Verizon to take the number two seat. The carrier was not in the top 10 advertisers last year, the report indicated, but ratcheted up its spending by 281 percent over 2016 levels for the event.

Verizon, which was the top playoff advertiser in 2016, scaled back its spending by 28 percent but held on in the number three position.

And carrier advertising is set to run straight through to the end of the NFL postseason this Sunday.

Sprint on Wednesday unveiled a humorous ad it plans to run during the second quarter of the Super Bowl that depicts a man faking his own death to get out of an expensive Verizon bill.

Not one to be left out, T-Mobile also previewed its Super Bowl spots, which include an ad with Justin Bieber and others showing off their best celebratory dances for unlimited plans and a mystery ad featuring Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart.

Who do you think will come away with the best carrier ad of the night?

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