iSpot Insights: Oil & Fuel Advertising on TV

Although cars, and thus fuel and oil, are an essential part of life for many people, the industry may not be one that comes to mind when you think of TV advertising. While our screens may often be filled with commercials for the vehicles themselves, fuel and oil ads aren’t as pervasive.

We examined TV advertising trends for the Vehicle: Oil & Fuel category in 2019 (Jan. 1 through July 31) and found that the industry was the 93rd-largest category advertising on TV so far this year. The industry had an estimated spend of $119 million, a decrease of 5.33% from the same period in 2018. And despite a year-over-year decrease in spots, airings and brands, there was actually a 4.90% increase in TV ad impressions, up to nearly 11 billion in 2019 compared to 2018’s 10.4 billion.

When it comes to individual brands, Exxon Mobil had the biggest outlay, an estimated $24.9 million, making up 20.8% of the entire category’s TV spend. But it was Shell who had the top ad for the industry (“Trucks are Different”) with over 384.4 million TV ad impressions and an iSpot Attention Index of 153, meaning it received 53% fewer interruptions than the industry average (interruptions include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).