The Academy Awards By the numbers

34,400,000 Last year, 34.4 million people tuned in to watch the broadcast of the Academy Awards show, hosted by Chris Rock. That was the lowest rating in 8 years.

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

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

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.

$15,000 Late night host Jimmy Kimmel will host this year’s Oscars for a fee of $15,000, according to US Magazine

$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.

225 It is estimated that viewers will tune in from more than 225 different countries to watch this year's Oscars

$1 billion According to a CNBC report, Ellen’s “impromptu” selfie in 2014 (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.

$100,000 Last year’s Oscar nominee “swag” bags contained a record $232,000 worth of gifts, continuing the trend of overly extravagant gifts for celebrity attendees. This year, the give-aways have been toned down, valued at a mere $100,000.

$40,000 One of the items included in this year’s “swag” bag is a 3 night stay at Lost Coast Ranch. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this Northern California mansion boasts 18 bedrooms and the gift is extended to include 10 guests. This is the most expensive item in the gift bag at a value of $40K. Included with the stay is a gourmet breakfast and one catered dinner.

$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 This year, Walmart will replace Kohl’s as the exclusive retail sponsor of the telecast (last year Kohl’s replaced JC Penney), tapping star directors Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”), Marc Forster (“World War Z”), and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (“This Is the End”) to direct 60-second spots for the retailer. This is the first time Walmart has advertised on the Oscars.

$2.25 million In 2016 the price for ad time for the Oscars increased for the seventh consecutive year. The average cost for :30 ad was reported to be between $2 and $2.5 million, despite record low ratings last year. (source: AdAge)

100% Despite the hefty price tag and ratings decline, ABC sold out of ad inventory for this year’s Oscars a full week before the event airs

26 McDonald's is set to make its 26th straight appearance on Hollywood's biggest night, and American Express will mark its 25th year.

$72,000 Advertising isn’t limited to television. The cost for a one page ad in the Hollywood Reporter during Oscar season comes in at $72,000.

$130 million According to reports, the greater Los Angeles area’s economy receives a $130 million boost annually from hosting the Academy Awards

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?