TV Advertising Campaigns: Examples & Advice for Marketers
TV advertising has transformed from the catchy jingles of the ‘60s to the integrated, data-driven campaigns we see today. Despite the rise of digital media, TV continues to be a cornerstone in capturing audience attention and driving sales.
Let’s take a look at the benefits and limitations of TV advertising in today’s world, along with best practices and key examples that showcase how brands can make the most of television advertising.
What is Television Advertising?
Television advertising allows marketers to promote their offerings through audiovisual commercials. In the past, this meant reaching large audiences through mass broadcasts that reached every living room on a national or regional level.
Brands would buy 15 to 30 second ad segments during specific time slots on certain television channels, then design ads to capture attention and maximize brand awareness. These linear TV advertisers often targeted prime time slots—the time of day when more people are actively watching—to increase their reach.
However, the TV advertising landscape is rapidly changing with the emergence of digitized and measurable streaming platforms. Now, about 60% of young adults in the United States report primarily watching TV using streaming services to watch whatever they want, whenever they like. This means advertisers can target specific audiences in a dynamic manner based on viewer preferences, opening the door for lower-funnel touchpoints and more precise audience targeting.
With new tools at their disposal, marketers have an opportunity to craft campaigns that maximize not just exposure, but engagement. But are these campaigns effective in practice?
Is TV Advertising Effective?
TV advertising is still effective, but the game has changed. According to Nielsen, up to 90% of the US population still watches TV weekly in some form. However, streaming now accounts for almost 40% of total TV viewing, having overtaken traditional TV in 2022. This has been a boon for marketers trying to run more targeted, more measurable TV campaigns, but struggle to understand how effectively television influences purchase behavior.
Let’s look at a real example. Brooks Brothers, a longstanding fashion retailer, wanted to raise awareness and consequently sales among a younger demographic. After studying where their target audience was most active, they decided to invest in OTT advertising. By targeting users based on their age and viewing habits on streaming platforms, they were able to reach over a half a million millennial households and grow their revenue by 46% while the campaign was running.
While the landscape has undeniably shifted, the rise of new technology, has helped marketers reach highly targeted segments via streaming platforms. While the connection between linear tv advertising and revenue is a bit more difficult to determine without purpose-built marketing technology, the sheer revenue impact of streaming advertising proves that TV is still a powerful medium for brand messaging.
Benefits of TV Advertising
TV advertising remains a powerful way to reach audiences, offering unique advantages that other channels can’t match. Here are some of the benefits of TV advertising and why it continues to be a useful tool for brands:
It can have a halo effect on your other ads. TV advertising can boost overall brand recognition, enhancing your other marketing efforts. When consumers see your brand on a trusted advertising medium like TV, it can influence their perception of your ads on other platforms, resulting in a more cohesive marketing strategy.
It’s an effective storytelling medium. TV advertising excels at telling engaging stories in short time frames, using both visual and audio elements to create an emotional connection. This emotional connection can boost ad recall and purchase intent, making it a powerful tool for narrative-driven campaigns.
There’s potential for highly memorable commercials. TV advertising remains one of the most effective channels for brand building. Iconic TV ads often leave a lasting impression and can become cultural standards.
It enables brands to reach large audiences. TV remains one of the best ways to reach a broad audience, especially those who aren’t highly active online. It’s far and away the best place to reach people interested in sporting and other live events. At the same time, you can target hyper-locally, especially with OTT platforms.
It’s a legitimizing platform. Almost anyone can advertise on social media, but most linear and CTV providers have standards for who can advertise on their platforms. This vetting process gives credibility and trustworthiness to brands who advertise on these platforms.
There are fewer advertisers competing for attention. In a typical commercial break lasting about 210 seconds, you compete with 7 to 14 other advertisers. In contrast, users on Instagram can see upwards of 30 advertisements in that same time frame.
Limitations of TV Advertising
Despite the benefits of TV marketing, it also comes with its own set of challenges. Here are the factors marketers need to consider when planning their ad campaigns:
Distracted viewers (and people skipping ads on CTV). With the rise of multitasking and ad-skipping features on CTV platforms, it’s increasingly difficult to capture and maintain viewer attention. Focus on understanding your target audience and speak to their needs directly to keep your target audience engaged, even if you don’t appear to everyone.
Difficulty measuring without ad technology. Measuring the success of TV campaigns is challenging without sophisticated ad tech solutions. Unlike digital advertising which provides instant metrics as table stakes, traditional linear TV ads often lack easy access to real-time data.
Targeting challenges. While CTV supports audience-centric targeted advertising, linear TV is generally restricted to targeting by content. This makes it harder to reach niche markets effectively. However, by combining the reach of linear TV and the precise targeting of CTV, you can create a balanced and effective strategy.
Upfront costs. Creating a TV commercial includes significant upfront costs, including scripting, production, talent, and airtime costs. It can range from a few thousand dollars to a few million—the 2023 Super Bowl ad spots cost between $6 million and $7 million. However, once you have the television commercial produced, the CPMs involved are usually very reasonable.
Linear TV audiences are shrinking. The number of viewers tuning into linear TV is declining as more people switch to streaming services. While this trend poses a challenge, it’s also an opportunity to tap into the growing streaming audience. By integrating both linear TV and OTT platforms into your strategy, you can reach an increasingly diverse audience.
Best Practices for TV Advertising Campaigns
Successful TV campaigns require careful planning and execution. To get the most out of your TV marketing investment, it’s crucial to follow proven best practices that enhance reach, engagement, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
Here are some best practices to help you create impactful TV ads that drive results:
Understand your target audience
The better you understand your audience, the easier it will be to tailor your messaging and make it more relevant and engaging. Clearly define your target audience and create detailed customer profiles from demographic data, psychographics, and consumer behavior insights.
Collect customer data from as many trustworthy sources as possible, including market research, social media analytics, and customer feedback. Get a comprehensive understanding of your audience’s viewing habits and preferences, then align your ad content with your findings. As you run your campaigns, test the results to ensure your messaging resonates and holds attention.
Set measurable goals
Before launching your TV advertising campaign, you need to work out exactly what you want to achieve. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, boosting sales, or getting people to like your brand more, thinking about your goals ahead of time will enable you to create a more detailed and effective plan for your advertising strategy.
Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals will guide your creative and strategic decisions. Having clearly defined goals helps align your ad content and ensure that you can track ad effectiveness with the appropriate metrics.
For example, if your goal is to boost brand awareness, you might focus on memorable storytelling and high-impact visuals to leave a lasting impression. On the other hand, if you want to drive sales, you might use strong calls-to-action and promotional offers.
Check the specs for your platform of choice
It’s important to check the technical specifications and requirements for the platform where you’re going to air your TV ads. Different TV stations and streaming services may have unique guidelines regarding video format, resolution, file size, length, and more. It’s important to familiarize yourself with these CTV specs before you begin producing and editing your commercials.
For example, here are the ad specs for Peacock:
- Dimensions: 1920×1080
- Duration: 6, 15, 45, or 60 seconds
- Max File Size: 10 GB
- File Format: MOV or MP
- Minimum Bit Rate: 15 Mbps
- Frame Rate: 23.98, 25 or 29.97 based on native frame rate
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Video Codec: Apple ProRes 422 HQ with minimum 800 kbps bitrate preferred; H.264 with bitrate of 50 Mbps is accepted; DVCPro NTSC (DV25) or DVCPro NTSC (DV50) accepted
- Audio Codec: All ads must have audio covering the entire length of the ad; 2 channels only. PCM preferred, AAC is accepted.
While linear TV ad specs tend to be similar, they tend to be a bit more restrictive. For example, CNN lists their basic ad specifications as:
- HD Dimensions: 1920×1080 (preferred), 1440×1080, 1280×720
- SD Dimension: 720×576, 720×486
- File format: MOV
- Frame rates: 24, 25, 29.97, and 30
- Audio: All major formats accepted
If you wanted to advertise on both platforms using the same ad, you’d want to build a 1920×1080 high definition ad, saved as a .MOV, using a frame rate of 29.97.
You should be able to find the exact specifications for the platform of your choice on their website or by contacting them directly. Alternatively, you could use standardized formats like VAST 2.0 for your streaming campaigns, simplifying the process. Either way, planning for these specs ahead of time will prevent delays and ensure a smooth submission process.
Experiment with different ad lengths
Most ad spots are between 15 and 30 seconds, but longer (60 seconds) and shorter (5 to 7 seconds) slots also exist. Experimenting with different lengths can reveal what works best for your brand and audience. For example, fifteen-second slots can be effective for quick, impactful messages, while longer formats allow for deeper storytelling.
Create a few variations and test different lengths to see which performs best in terms of viewer retention and response rates. Use A/B testing to compare the performance of different lengths on various channels and time slots. As you gather metrics on viewer engagement, you’ll be able to fine-tune your advertising strategy and create the most effective TV ad formats.
Follow creative strategy best practices
A creative strategy is the blueprint for every aspect of your campaign, from concept to execution. It ensures that your messaging makes sense, is compelling, and is aligned with your brand’s goals and values.
Here are some actionable tips to get the most out of your creative strategy:
Align with KPIs. Make sure your strategy supports specific KPIs for measurable success. Track ad performance and adjust your tactics to optimize results.
Define your platform. Establish the core idea your campaign will address so that you can align all creative efforts with your brand’s objectives. This will serve as the foundation for your creative strategy.
Plan communications. Outline how different campaign elements fit together across different channels to create a cohesive message. Try to ensure that each part fits together to deliver a unified narrative.
Specify tactics. Detail the visual, copy, and CTA elements of each ad unit. Provide actionable steps to execute your creative vision and make it resonate with your audience.
Outline your content. Focus on delivering a clear and concise message. Start with a strong hook to capture attention, then develop a coherent narrative that aligns with your brand’s voice and maintains viewer engagement. Test creative elements like color schemes, messaging, and CTAs to see what resonates with your audience.
Differentiate your ad content. Address key questions like, “Why us, why now?” to stand out from your competitors. Compare your ads against your competitors’ ads and use industry insights to make them as memorable as possible.
Leverage star power
Well-known personalities can enhance the appeal of your TV ads. They can bring instant recognition and credibility, making your ad more memorable and engaging. A well-chosen personality can also boost brand recall and elevate the perceived quality of your products or services.
Further, celebrities and influencers often have a dedicated following, which can help extend the reach of your TV campaign beyond traditional TV viewership. For instance, you could use their social media platforms to create a buzz around your ad, encouraging shares and discussion.
But when partnering with a celebrity or influencer, it’s crucial to ensure that their values align with your brand. This will help you maintain authenticity, avoid backlash, and maximize the impact of your TV advertising.
Invest in cross-device measurement
To fully understand the impact of your TV ads, you should invest in cross-device measurement tools. These tools track viewer engagement across multiple screens, including traditional TV, smartphones, tablets, and CTV devices.
By tracking multiple devices, you can see how your viewers interact with your content across platforms, giving you insight into viewing patterns, ad effectiveness, and conversion rates.
For example, many people watch TV while they’re on their phones. Someone could see your commercial, want to learn more, and end up on your website. Being able to measure and attribute these actions can help provide a clearer picture of your campaign’s performance.
With powerful insights in hand, television advertisers can refine targeting strategies and optimize ad placements, getting ads to the right audience at the right time regardless of what device they’re using.
3 Examples of Excellent TV Advertising Campaigns
Now that we know what’s behind a great TV advertising campaign, let’s look at three recent campaigns that embody some of the best practices found above.
Instacart – Sick Off
The commercial, which appeared on linear TV, begins by featuring two remote coworkers who are feeling under the weather. One wants to rest and recover, and the other wants to one-up their teammate. This conflict quickly devolves into a western-style “sick-off,” as each compares how sick they are along with their subsequent willingness to work. As the conflict exhausts them both, with seemingly no work getting done at all, the doorbell rings and their Instacart order arrives – along with some much needed rest.
The writing in this commercial strikes a great balance between humor and drama. Not only that, their audience targeting was on point, as Instacart tends to cater to professionals and parents that don’t have the time to go to the store. This positions Instacart as a way to get a little bit of self care when it’s desperately needed.
Brooks Brothers – Outfitting New Audiences
This commercial by Brooks Brothers features a group of young millennials hosting a casual photoshoot, where they try on a variety of outfits while smooth music plays in the background. The narrator sets the scene by invoking a sense of nostalgia, and the timeless appeal of quality, stylish clothing. The commercial is spotted with record players, film cameras, and of course, Brook Brother’s classic woven apparel – but the individuals in the commercial are young and on-trend. Not only that, the commercial appeared on various streaming platforms, solidifying the desire to reach the millennial and Gen Z audiences that dominate these spaces.
The framing of this commercial is why it’s so great. It draws a clear throughline between how today’s online culture is influenced by old school cool. This messaging makes perfect sense for Brooks Brothers, which was founded in 1818. The result is a creative spectacle that ties together classic and modern, illustrating the value of timeless appeal to new audiences, particularly millennials.
Honest Company – Baby Beauty
This commercial, which ran across streaming, online video and social platforms, showcases precious everyday moments of skin-to-skin contact where we feel connection. The visuals are evocative, complemented by inspirational messaging that is emotionally centered around the notion that our skin is delicate and must be protected. The spot features striking visuals of the family expressing affection through physical touch, paired with a variety of Honest’s Baby and Beauty products. The narrator imparts key messaging about the product’s key differentiators, including safe, gentle-on-skin ingredients.
We love this commercial for a few reasons. In just 30 seconds, this commercial radiates love and connection all while driving a clear throughline to Honest’s products points of differentiation. It also evokes a deeper thought. When it comes to caring for their babies, consumers tend to gravitate toward simple, purpose-made skincare products designed just for babies. But parents inherently understand the value of skin-to-skin contact with their little ones – so shouldn’t they give the same level of consideration to their own skin?
This commercial has been cut into 15 second and 6 second versions, making it usable across the funnel for a consistent creative experience across channels.
Conclusion
TV advertising is constantly evolving and changing how brands reach and engage their audiences. Despite challenges like shifting viewership patterns, TV ads remain a powerful way to tell your story, reach new audiences, and build credibility. Knowing your audience, defining clear goals, and embracing cross-platform strategies can help you create compelling campaigns that drive meaningful results.
Looking to invest more in linear or streaming TV advertising this year? At Tinuiti, we have a team of experts that will take your strategy to the next level. Check out our TV & Audio services or contact us today for more information.
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