Ecuador buys Super Bowl ad time to entice U.S. visitors

During the Super Bowl halftime Feb. 1, you can expect to see high-priced commercials for beer, fast food, cars, soft drinks and a small South American banana exporter. Ecuador is expected to become the first foreign country to buy a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl game to encourage Americans to visit the tiny country along the equator.

The ad — featuring the Beatles’ song "All You Need Is Love" — will air in 13 major U.S. markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and New York. The government paid $3.8 million for the ad, plus eight other commercials that will be shown during NBC’s "Today Show" leading up to the Super Bowl.

Last year the country launched a tourism campaign with the motto "All You Need Is Ecuador," helping to boost foreign visitation 14 percent and generating $545 million in revenue, according to the Ecuadorean government.

Los Angeles Times