In late January, millions of Bachelor Nation members tuned in for the first episode of their favorite reality dating show’s 28th season. As fans waited to see who this season’s Bachelor, Joey Graziadei, would award the first impression rose, advertisers reaped the benefits of The Bachelor premiere’s high drama.
We looked at the top 20 ads that ran during The Bachelor’s season premiere to see which brands made the biggest impact. Our analysis reveals that The Bachelor still offers unbeatable value compared to other primetime broadcast placements. Read ahead to learn which brands were most effective at driving engagement, and why advertisers and The Bachelor remain a winning couple.
Brands and Bachelor Nation: a lasting relationship
The Bachelor changed reality TV dating forever when it debuted in 2002. As hopeful contestants compete for The Bachelor’s love each season, fans can’t get enough. For brands, The Bachelor means access to this large and loyal group of engaged viewers.
Viewers who watched the flagship show’s Season 28 premiere were 54% more likely to engage with advertising brands than the primetime broadcast average, despite having a smaller audience than the premiere of the recent spinoff The Golden Bachelor.
And according to our data, you’d need to purchase nearly double the ad placements on another primetime broadcast program to generate the same amount of consumer engagements (like brand searches and website visits) that were generated by the premiere. Because brand searches have been proven to predict future sales, we use them and other consumer actions to help us determine how effective a given ad was at generating meaningful behavioral outcomes.
You can expect a similar level of engagement with any series in The Bachelor franchise. The original show has generated an empire of spinoffs, from The Bachelorette to Bachelor in Paradise, to the new and highly engaging Golden Bachelor, each with their own massive following. While overall viewership for the franchise has fluctuated in the past few years, recent performance statistics indicate The Bachelor’s fanbase is still committed.
Who gets the rose? The Bachelor premiere’s top ads
We analyzed how ads during The Bachelor’s January 2024 premiere compared with engagement for the median ad run on the same program to identify the brands that drove the greatest ad impact.
Athletic wear brand Vuori Clothing was the episode’s most effective advertiser, generating 1,140% more engagement than the median advertiser during the premiere. It was followed by healthy soda brand Poppi (+1,136%) and health tech brand Oura Ring (+1,014%), demonstrating a trend of health and fitness lifestyle brands performing well during the Season 28 premiere.
What to watch next? Entertainment category dominates top The Bachelor ad rankings
Of the top 20 performing ads, entertainment brands represented the most prominent category. With half of the top ads coming from film and television streamers and studios, Bachelor fans were most likely to engage with content they can add to their watchlist.
Netflix’s ad for the debut season of Griselda ranked eighth on the list with a +559% engagement rate. Universal Pictures’ trailer for the upcoming release of Argylle came tenth, performing at +412%. Hulu got the most attention, landing five total placements in the top 20 ads, with soon-to-premiere limited series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (+528%) ranked highest at number seven.
Here for the right reasons: brands say yes to The Bachelor
Even if viewership hit a few bumps in the road in recent years, the majority of Bachelor Nation remains devoted — and the long-running reality show’s enduring audience continues to offer advertisers engagement opportunities they can’t get anywhere else on primetime broadcast.
If you’re looking for your perfect match, EDO can help you find it. Our engagement data can tell you where to find consumers and which ads resonate with them the most. Whether it’s reaching the enamored millions watching The Bachelor, or fans anywhere else on broadcast, cable, or streaming, EDO has you covered. Learn which audiences are the best match for your brand and subscribe to our newsletter today.