While the world gathers for the competition at the Olympics, advertisers will be trying to get their messages across to the viewers tuning in to the 3,500 hours of coverage NBC is providing. Nielsen looked back at Olympics advertising history, tracking the cost for 30-second spots during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of past games and the leading sponsors during the pageantry.
| Cost Per 30-Second Commercial | |||||
| Year | Location | Opening Ceremony | Closing Ceremony | Network | Top Brand Advertiser |
| 1996 | Atlanta, U.S. | $250,000 | $250,000 | NBC | Coca-Cola Classic |
| 1998 | Nagano, Japan | $183,600 | $183,600 | CBS | IBM Internet Services |
| 2000 | Sydney, Australia | $275,000 | $275,000 | NBC | Coca-Cola Classic |
| 2002 | Salt Lake City, U.S. | $350,000 | $350,000 | NBC | Johnson & Johnson/Nike (tie) |
| 2004 | Athens, Greece | $340,000 | $340,000 | NBC | Budweiser |
| 2006 | Turin, Italy | $350,000 | $350,000 | NBC | Visa Credit Card Services |
| Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus | |||||
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