Television Advertising
What is television advertising?
Television advertising is a type of advertising, that refers to the promotion of a product or service through commercials or sponsored content that are broadcast on television channels during designated time slots. Television advertising can be part of a wider marketing strategy.
Impact of television advertising
Television advertising allows businesses to communicate their message to a large audience by reaching millions of viewers at once. It can also then be targeted towards specific demographics to ensure that the right people are seeing the ad, according to the channel it’s shown on and time of day when it’s run. For example, advertising on a weekday during the morning would be more effective at targeting retirees or similar than say a younger demographic.
TV advertising is also a great way to build brand awareness and generate interest in a product or service. With the rise of streaming services and online video platforms, TV advertising has also expanded its reach beyond traditional TV networks and now covers online advertising strategies too.
The evolution of television advertising
Television advertising has been around since the early 1940s when the first commercial aired on NBC in the US. It came out on July 1, 1941 at 2:30 p.m., broadcast by the New York station WNBT (then WNBC) before a baseball game.
Since then, it has evolved significantly, with the introduction of color TV, cable networks, and digital technologies. Today, TV advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to adapt to changing consumer behavior and new technologies including the rise of YouTube and online streaming platforms.
What are the key components of television advertising
If you're putting together a TV ad campaign you'll need to consider and include each of the following:
The message or story being conveyed.
The visuals and other creative elements
The placement and scheduling of the ad
The target audience and exact demographics being reached
The call-to-action or desired response from the viewer
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5 benefits of using television advertising
01. High reach and visibility.
02. Targeted audience reach.
03. Brand awareness and recognition.
04. Ability to evoke emotions and create a memorable experience for viewers, thus creating a positive experience around your brand.
05. Opportunity for storytelling and creativity.
Examples of effective television advertising
This is an oldie, but a goodie. One example of effective television advertising is the 2010 Old Spice "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign. Featuring a shirtless man in various settings, promoting the brand's body wash product it proved to be widely popular and helped to boost sales massively. It now ranks high on the list of the top TV ads of all time.
Best practices for getting started with television advertising
Know your target audience and tailor the ad to their interests and needs. Conduct market research, focus groups, data collection and whatever else it takes to understand your target market.
Create a clear and compelling message that resonates with viewers. It can be unique, funny but just make sure its memorable, and not offensive.
Use high-quality visuals and creative elements to make the ad stand out.
Choose the right placement and scheduling to reach the desired audience.
Incorporate a strong call-to-action to encourage viewers to find you again. Even if its googling your brand name from the ad, to find your website.
Challenges with television advertising
One challenge of television advertising is that it can be expensive, especially for small businesses. It can also be difficult to measure the effectiveness of an ad campaign or determine the return on investment. Additionally, with the rise of streaming services, traditional TV audiences are declining, which may limit the reach of TV ads and the ROI of an advertising campaign.
TV advertising FAQ
What's the cost of television advertising?
The cost of television advertising varies depending on factors such as the length of the ad, the time slot, and the network being used. Super Bowl ads, for example, can cost millions of dollars for a 30-second spot.