Super Bowl Commercials Put Charm City In The Spotlight

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- While the Ravens weren't playing in the Super Bowl this year, Baltimore certainly had a strong presence. Local and national ads are really putting Maryland in the spotlight.

Jessica Kartalija has more.

On average, a 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl runs about $5 million. For a local ad, it's a little less. Having Maryland prominently featured in three different ads is priceless.

The Ravens' Justin Tucker is in the Super Bowl again. This time, it was in an ad for Baltimore-based Royal Farms.

Marketing expert David Warschawski says the 30-second local ad for Michael and Son was a great plug for the family-run business.

"Really brand-centric; had a nice emotional connection, especially if you understood the backstory that it was Mike Tyson's son and it's Michael and his son. Really a cute interplay there. It really was a standout and a cute commercial," he said.

A reunion of Baltimore-based show "The Wire," where three cast members play bank robbers using the 2016 Prius as a getaway car.

"It became sexy, exciting to own a Prius. You were more daring. You were trying to get rid of some of the stereotypes of what it was to be a Prius owner," Warschawski said.

On Facebook, WJZ viewers seemed to love every ad.

"A great commercial wants to make an emotional connection with its target audience that ultimately moves that target audience to take an action," he said.

The Michael and Son ad was shot locally and a nice homecoming for Mike Tyson, who used to live in Potomac. The president of Michael and Son says the spot cost the company more than $100,000.