Is TV Advertising Still Worth It? – Major Pros And Cons

There have been multiple iconic TV commercials through the decades.

Obviously, a few will come to your mind when you think of old commercials. However, are such commercials still worth it? In fact, to consider TV advertising today, you have to make it memorable, evoke emotion, and connect to viewers easily. 

In this article, you will learn about TV advertising and how it works. Apart from that, this article will mainly deal with the question of whether advertising on television is still worth it.

Moreover, you will learn some major pros and cons of television advertising in the age of digital advertising. Hence, to learn more, read on to the end of the article. 

TV Advertising: A General Overview

TV advertising is a type of marketing communication where you promote your products/services/brand through television broadcasts. However, many think that television advertising is on the verge of extinction. In fact, it is not. Rather, it is in its transition phase. 

People still gather around to watch ads while they watch sports. Despite that, there have been many changes in the world of advertising. Today, one TV commercial can change the brand image of a company and increase its sales numbers significantly. 

Over the years, television advertising changed a lot, especially after the advent of on-demand advertising and streaming services. However, many streaming and on-demand companies are the real competition against TV advertising. This is because they insert little to no commercials between shows. 

Moreover, ads are now getting shorter. This is because they are competing with viral videos. Also, the attention spans of people are getting shorter. 

The Changing Dynamics Of TV Advertising 

Here are a few factors that show the changing dynamics of TV advertising: 

The Importance Of Timing 

Generally, Americans spend an average of more than 3 hours watching TV. However, advertisers today do that have enough capability to engage viewers to ads like what was possible a decade ago.

Additionally, today viewers have multiple channels to choose from. Apart from that, they even have access to pay channels that are free of any commercials. 

One of the major aspects of television advertising is that it is consistent in delivering the highest returns on investment to companies. Also, each channel you advertise for has time constraints about the length of your ads. Moreover, there are constraints regarding the subject matter. 

Budget And Effectiveness 

If your ad budget is limited, you must ensure you pay the right price and choose the right time to deliver your ad. In fact, you have to make many correct decisions. These include how many times you want to show the ad, how many people are watching it, and how much it is engaging your target audiences. 

Moreover, you can also work with media companies to match your viewers’ demographics as per each TV show. This helps you to market your products to specific audiences. Here, the program’s popularity and the number of times the advertiser airs your ad determines the total cost of the ad. 

Focus On “Upfront” And “Sweep” Periods 

The upfront season is an advance-selling period in the spring. Here, as a marketer, you can buy commercial airtime (and digital ads) before the fall season starts. In this season, major TV networks unveil their upcoming shows so as to book their ad space. 

On the other hand, the sweep season is a period during the year when a show calls special guests or airs must-see events.  

Moreover, to find advertising rates for local stations, you can use Nielsen Holdings N.V. data and ratings from that particular period. 

Top Benefits Of TV Advertising 

The following are the major advantages of TV advertising that you will benefit from: 

• Higher Reach: Even today, most people watch the television. Hence, advertisers can reach millions of people across geographies and demographics. 

• Emotional Connection: With the help of proper visuals, sounds, and music, you can create a memorable impression. This will help you to tell your brand story. Thereby, you can build an emotional connection with your viewers. 

• Higher Purchase Intent: Generally, TV ads are more memorable than other types of ads. As a result, it leads to a higher purchase intent. 

• Ad Impressions: You will get a higher number of ad impressions. This is because multiple viewers consume TV advertisements simultaneously. 

• High Return on Investment: If your TV ad campaign is successful, it can even generate an ROI of 300-500% 

• Creative Flexibility: There are many options to use a variety of ad formats. For instance, you can use animation, live-action, or mix them both. Basically, you can use whatever you think will help you engage your audience. 

• Higher Trust: Viewers trust local broadcast news a lot. Hence, if your brand advertises alongside local broadcast news, your company will benefit a lot. 

Types Of TV Advertising

Here are the major types of TV advertising you must know of: 

1. Traditional Commercials  

These ads have a duration of 15-60 seconds. Generally, you will find them between ad breaks and regular programs. 

2. Infomercials 

These are long-form advertisements and range from 5-30 minutes. Generally, they delve deep into product details. For example, such ads include demonstrations, direct response mechanisms, and testimonials. 

3. Sponsorship Advertisements 

You can sponsor a particular segment (start, middle, or end) of a show. Hence, it will help you align your brand with the content and audience of the show. 

4. Branded Content 

Here, you create original content to integrate directly into a TV show’s content. Also, it helps you feature your brand prominently in a show and engage viewers while you promote your brand. 

5. Product Placement 

In this case, you integrate your products into the content of a TV show/movie. As a result, you can associate the product with the characters and setting of the program. 

6. Interactive TV Ads 

Interactive Ads are possible with the advent of smart TVs and connected devices, where your viewers can engage directly with your content. For example, clickable overlays help people to make a purchase without them leaving their screen. 

7. Direct Response TV Ads 

With these ads, you can make your viewers respond directly with the help of a website or a toll-free number. Generally, these include time-sensitive offers. Also, you can design them to generate consumer responses accordingly. 

8. Addressable TV Ads 

With these TV advertisements, you can show different ads to different viewers watching the same program. Basically, this is possible with the use of data that you use to create personalized ads as you focus on viewing habits and demographics. 

9. Programmatic TV Ads 

Here, you use automated and data-driven buying processes to place your ads at the right time. Here, you leverage viewer data to optimize ad placements. 

10. Pop-Up and Overlay Ads 

These are those graphic overlays that appear on the screen when a program is running. Usually, they come either at the top or the bottom of the screen. 

11. L Band Ads 

As the name suggests, these are graphic overlays that come in the form of an L-shape on your viewer’s TV screen. In this case, the best thing is that it does not take up a lot of space on the screen. 

12. Aston Band Ads 

These are text-based advertisements. Generally, they are present at the bottom of the screen when a TV program is running. Hence, if you want to provide quick information or promotion, this is a good option to choose. 

13. Scroll Ads 

As the name suggests, scroll ads scroll across the bottom or top of the screen. In fact, advertisers use it to deliver a continuous stream of information/promotions. 

14. Corner Screen Ads 

Generally, these ads appear in the corner of the screen. As a result, it does not disrupt the main content of the show and is great for showing quick brand messages. 

15. Tickers 

These are similar to scroll ads. However, they display shorter messages in real-time. In general, it appears during sports or news. 

What are the Major Pros of TV Advertising? 

Here are the major pros of TV advertising that you will benefit from: 

• It helps you capture your viewers’ attention in full. Also, you can run them alongside premium content. 

• TV advertisements bring life to your content. Hence, you can make a memorable impact and engage your audiences better. 

• TV ads have a broad reach and exposure. 

• You will get a better return on your investment and a better recall than other forms of ads. 

What are the Major Cons of TV Advertising? 

Here are a few cons of TV advertising that you must be aware of: 

• It is hard to target your ads precisely to your target audiences. 

• TV ads are expensive. 

• Generally, passive viewers consume TV content. Hence, your ads will end up being less actionable. 

• It is hard to measure the impact of TV ads. 

• Nowadays, TV is getting a decline in viewership due to the advent of streaming platforms. 

• People can ignore or skip your ads by just changing the channel. 

• You do not get the flexibility to change your ads quickly. 

TV Advertising: The Way Forward 

Basically, TV advertising is still effective for your business if you want to create awareness about your brand/product/service.

However, many companies are spending more on digital advertising, and media companies are busy looking for solutions. If you have the budget and the confidence to advertise effectively, TV advertising can be useful for you. 

Do you have more suggestions for TV advertising? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below. 

Read Also:

• 25 Local Advertising Strategies That Will Take Your Business To New Heights
• Marketing vs Advertising: Basic Differences You Must Know
• 11 Effective Advertising Techniques for Small Businesses