Bezos's post ad, reportedly a late switch, draws ire from staff

Jeff Bezos was a high-profile figure at this year’s Super Bowl, with the tech magnate bankrolling a number of ads and appearing in person at the game.

But one commercial stirred up criticism from the very people it was designed to promote. An ad for the Washington Post, which Bezos bought in 2013 for $250 million, drew flak for wasting money on self-promotion rather than journalism itself.

Advertisement

It turns out the ad may have just been a replacement. Bezos had originally planned to air a $20 million commercial for his space-exploration company, Blue Origin, according to the New York Post’s Page Six. That fell through after his relationship with Lauren Sanchez, who shot some of the footage for the ad, came to light last month, according to the story. Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie, announced plans in January to divorce.

The Washington Post commercial, narrated by Tom Hanks, ran for about a minute — suggesting it cost roughly $10 million at CBS Corp.’s typical rate.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement