TV is Here to Stay: Why Your Business Needs to Take Advantage of TV Advertising

The first television ad was aired in 1941 and was seen by a mere 4,000 people. TV advertising has been booming ever since, with advertisers spending as much as $548 million per week. In the age of rising digital advertising, what makes TV advertising still so successful?

TV Reaches a Large Audience

While the popularity of television varies among age groups, Americans still devote a lot of time to watching TV. According to Nielsen's Total Audience Report, most adults spend upwards of three hours watching television each day. Those above the age of 50 watched an average of six to seven hours per day.

Primetime news networks are still pulling in millions of viewers each year. In 2020, Fox News Channel attracted more than 3 million watchers, nearly double its viewership for 2019. Similar news networks like CNN and MSNBC also experienced considerable growth, especially during election coverage.

With this many people tuning in, it's only natural that a television ad will reach many new potential customers. It can also increase brand loyalty with your existing consumers and lead to higher sales.

The large scale of TV’s reach is best measured by its ROI. Thinkbox reports that over $14 is earned back for each advertising dollar spent. Although television ad prices vary depending on the program, these numbers prove that it's an excellent investment for your brand.

TV Can Appeal to Viewers' Emotions

TV advertising is unique because it can cause the viewer to form an emotional connection with your brand. Even though digital ads are popular, some users may scroll by your product without a second glance. Television uses both audio and visual storytelling to make a deep impression on the viewer. In an Advertisers Perceptions Study, advertisers said that video was the most important media to them, with 51% saying linear TV the most valuable video platform, compared to 31% for social media and 15% picking video sites. 

Studies show that 92% of viewers appreciate television ads that are presented as stories. Experts explain that this is because these ads tap into the memory bank of the brain. Each time they remember a meaningful advertisement, they'll experience the same strong feelings as they did seeing it for the first time. This makes them more likely to remember your brand over another.

TV is a Trusted Medium

Before an ad makes it to television, the station owners have to approve it. This isn't just to filter out any inappropriate content: they want to ensure that the ad meets television standards. This leads people to believe that TV ads are more credible sources of information.

Sixty-three percent of consumers trust television ads more than online video ads. Trust in TV ads was also the highest among all other forms of physical and digital advertising campaigns.

TV Can Effectively Target Your Audience

Some skeptical advertisers believe that television advertising won't reach their target audience as effectively as other marketing channels. However, by conducting targeted research on your existing customers, it's easy to determine which television station is an audience's favorite. For example, toy companies get successful ROI by placing an ad on a children's network.

A well-placed ad can significantly affect consumer behavior, and 60% of people will purchase a product based on a commercial they saw. 

TV Captures Attention

Many advertisers also worry that television isn't reaching enough people in an age where multi-tasking is more common. Forty percent of viewers are doing other tasks while watching television, with 36% using smartphones during a television program. However, smartphone usage doesn't mean that you can't actively engage your multi-tasking audience. 

Whether they realize it or not, customers are still retaining auditory information from their ads. If your ad has a clear CTA asking viewers to visit your store or website, you're more likely to grab their interest. If the viewer has their phone out already, they're even more likely to seek out your brand. Many advertisers are even using second screen viewing to their advantage by adding QR Codes to their ads and integrated segments. This not only engages the viewer but can help move them down the purchasing funnel. 

TV Can be Integrated with Digital Campaigns

With so many consumers using social media each day, it's no secret that digital advertising has grown exponentially as well. However, this doesn't mean that television advertising is becoming obsolete as a result. The two mediums can yield greater results when used together.

Maggi Germany, a popular German food company, recently converted its existing TV ads into digital video ads for Facebook. This resulted in a 9% lift in sales and over 3x annualized return on ad spending. This strategy effectively attracts new customers on their preferred platforms without crafting a separate marketing campaign.

Why TV Advertising Can Grow Your Business

Given the incredible reach and engagement capabilities within your target audience, TV advertising success is easy to achieve. With the right know-how, integrating TV advertising alongside your existing marketing campaigns is easy to do. An experienced media partner can guide you on how to optimize your advertising strategy to reach your business goals.