customer holding DVDs in a Blockbuster Video

Blockbuster Video Sales Skyrocket After Super Bowl Sunday Ad

The world’s last remaining Blockbuster Video store made waves when it teased a new ad for Super Bowl Sunday. Of course, the small video store in Oregon didn’t have the money to spring for a TV spot during the big game. However, that did not stop the team from putting together a commercial that captured the creativity and memorability of the best nostalgic Super Bowl commercials. Instead, the store’s general manager Sandi Harding broadcast the clip live on social media during the Halftime show.

Currently, the last Blockbuster Video store rents and sells movies in Bend, Oregon. Additionally, they sell Blockbuster-branded merchandise such as trucker hats, T-shirts, and sunglasses through an online store. In a statement to TMZ Sandi Harding said their merch sales spiked after she shared the ad online. Monday morning, the store saw a 200% spike in sales. Harding credits the ad for that spike.

This was a boon for Harding and the rest of the Blockbuster team. Usually, the Bend-based store does the bulk of its business during the summer when tourists flock to the location. During the winter, business is slow.

This isn’t the only reason Harding and the rest of the Blockbuster Video team wanted to produce the commercial. They teamed up with a New York-based ad agency that donated time and resources to make the ad happen. Harding says they wanted to show that a small business could make a fun ad and boost sales during Super Bowl weekend like major corporations.

The Last Blockbuster Video Store in the World

Growing up, going to Blockbuster to rent a few movies was a sure sign that it was going to be an awesome night. Back in the good old days, the rental giant boasted thousands of locations across the country. Then, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu changed how people watch movies. As a result, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, and just about every other rental spot in the nation closed their doors.

Today, one Blockbuster location remains. Located in Bend, Oregon, the last Blockbuster still rents DVDs like the old days. It also sells a variety of branded merch and movie-related items. It’s more than that, though Every year, people come from all around to see this relic of a bygone era. Stepping into the aisles and browsing titles is a trip back to a simpler time for many visitors. For others, it’s a way to glimpse into an era before their time.

Keeping this memory alive is part of why Sandi Harding and her team wanted to run the ad on Super Bowl Sunday. She said they “want people to remember us, that we’re here and our store is exactly the way a Blockbuster store was in the 1990s.”

The days of video rental may be long gone, but the last Blockbuster location will go on keeping the nostalgic feeling alive until the bitter end.