Roll out the red carpet because brands appear to be reconsidering the much-maligned TV awards show, often seen as old-fashioned and dusty in the digital age.
One of the granddaddies of the genre—the Oscars—could become a coveted water-cooler moment because of the ads launching in and around the broadcast this weekend.
Ahead of the 96th Oscars on Sunday, Disney Advertising sold out its ad inventory with sponsors spanning 17 categories. The company sought $1.7 million to $2.2 million for 30-second spots, which is up slightly from 2023.
Participating advertisers include Airbnb, Allstate, Booking.com, DoorDash, Dunkin’, NerdWallet, Mountain Dew Baja Blast, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Starbucks, Walmart and many more. Several pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly, are advertising on the night, as are Hollywood studios promoting their upcoming films. There will also likely be some repeat campaigns from the Super Bowl.
Marketers get “heightened engagement” from audiences that are “hungry for a shared experience in real time,” Danielle Delauro, executive vice president at the Video Advertising Bureau, told ADWEEK. “People who watch the Oscars are passionate, they’re leaning in and advertisers see the value in this kind of live tentpole event.”
Here are a few key advertising moments and trends to look out for, some already generating considerable buzz and social media chatter:
Skinny-shaming Hollywood
Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has grabbed headlines and fueled conversations with “Big Night,” which skinny-shames celebrities for misusing weight loss drugs such as Ozempic. The voiceover doesn’t call out Hollywood specifically for the off-label practice, but the visual references to the Oscars—a red carpet rolling out, a glittery gown, professional photographers—are unmistakable.
The 30-second ad says such drugs are not for “vanity” but rather for people with obesity. “It matters who gets them,” the voiceover concludes.
Eli Lilly itself manufactures the weight loss drug tirzepatide, which is sold under the brand name Zepbound. Left unstated in the marketing is the cost of such drugs, which can put them out of reach for average Americans.
It won’t be the first time that the glitterati and Big Pharma rub shoulders on premium TV programming. The hot-button issue got a call out on-stage during the Emmys earlier this year, when Christina Applegate leaned on her cane, swept her arm across her figure and said, “Body not by Ozempic.” The actor, in her characteristic dark humor, was referring to her ongoing battle with multiple sclerosis and the physical toll it has taken on her.
Kardashian’s brand takes the spotlight
Kim Kardashian’s apparel brand, Skims, will air its first TV ad during the Oscars. Created by Wieden+Kennedy Portland and directed by Frank Lebon, the commercial stars Kardashian, who is also the brand’s chief creative officer, playing various characters. Skims released a teaser ahead of the awards show (see the clip below).
Since its founding in 2018, Skims has grown to be worth $4 billion and recently expanded into menswear.
Continuing the fight against antisemitism
After airing its first Super Bowl ad last month, the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism will also advertise during Hollywood’s big night. Based on real events that took place in the Boston area last year, “Neighbors” shows a bar mitzvah that’s interrupted by a bomb threat. As sirens wail and police arrive, people from a nearby church step in to help members of the synagogue, giving them shelter and space to continue their ceremony.
The nonprofit group, founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, points out that 895 Jewish temples in America received bomb threats in 2023. Its ongoing media push aims to counter a noted rise in antisemitic hate in the U.S. over the last several years.
Sound and fury
In its first campaign since a rebrand last year, SiriusXM launched a cinematic 3-minute spot today that will get its television debut, in a shortened version, during the Academy Awards.
The short film, called “A Life in Sound,” is “a celebration of the power of audio,” according to Suzi Watford, the brand’s chief growth officer.
The work, from agency Uncommon Creative Studio and lauded director Kim Gehrig, follows a woman dancing through various phases of her life, with an eclectic soundtrack that includes Doja Cat, Bat for Lashes, Soul II Soul, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, among others, with voices of SiriusXM hosts like Nikki and Brie Garcia, Conan O’Brien and Jose Mangin.
The spot aims to highlight “the real, universal and uniquely human experience of being moved by the audio you love,” per Nils Leonard, co-founder at Uncommon.
SiriusXM also debuts an accompanying out of home campaign called “Superfan,” shot by Gabriel Moses. The billboards spotlight three growing genres—hip-hop, country and sports—with placements in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Boston and Atlanta.
More star power
Of course, Sunday’s ads will feature plenty of celebrity appearances, as seen in Wayfair’s Oscars debut. The online retailer’s ad, by Havas Chicago, invites people into the brightly-hued “Wayborhood,” which is populated by stars including Kelly Clarkson, Lisa Vanderpump, Tituss Burgess, Lisa Ann Walter and Stephanie Beatriz.
Wayfair’s commercial follows a trend that emerged during this year’s Super Bowl, which saw many advertisers packing in multiple celebrities in one spot.
