Hasta La Creative!

Five high-end automotive brands have begun backing out of their on-air buys in Fox News Channel’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” as Lexus, BMW and Mitsubishi on Tuesday joined Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai in putting some distance between themselves and the network’s top draw. And while the Fox News ad sales team is now scrambling to stem the tide of any further defections, the loss of a few car sponsors may be the least of their worries.

While Mitsubishi and Mercedes over the last five quarters have been among the most visible sponsors of “The O’Reilly Factor,” airing a combined 570 spots in the show at an estimated cost of $4.91 million, per iSpot.tv estimates, Hyundai and BMW aren’t nearly as critical to the show’s financial standing. Since the year began, Mitsubishi and Mercedes ads have run a total of 127 times in the 8 p.m. telecast, while Hyundai and BMW have combined for just six airings. (As it happens, that’s exactly half the number of “O’Reilly” units that Pfizer bought in the same period to promote its Preparation H brand.)

As much as car dollars make up a significant portion of the overall “O’Reilly Factor” ad haul, the program is far more dependent upon direct-response marketers and pharmaceutical brands. According to iSpot data, the top “O’Reilly Factor” sponsor since Jan. 1, 2016, is Rosland Capital, a purveyor of silver and gold that regularly airs 60-second DR spots featuring the actor William Devane and a 1-800 number. The company, which in the last 15 months has invested some $5.89 million in 176 “O’Reilly” airings, was also a stalwart supporter of Glenn Beck’s old 5 p.m. Fox News show, sticking with it while more than 300 advertisers took their business elsewhere.

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