TV Advertising
Let’s rewind 10 years back and think about how we watched TV programming.
2014
Broadcast TV (2014):
In 2014, the biggest provider of TV was Broadcast TV which was delivered via an antenna to as far out as the signal could reach. You could reach millions of viewers in Dallas–Fort Worth with every delivery of a TV commercial. This was a great value for a company that needed to reach the masses across an entire Metroplex. However, media is typically valued by the number of eyeballs that will see the ads, so this could have been a very expensive platform for a local contractor that only services a few zip codes.
How do we watch TV? (2014 vs 2024)
Cable TV (2014):
Cable TV was huge during this time. Almost 80% of all TV Homes in Dallas–Fort Worth had a cable or satellite TV subscription in the early 2010s. Cable had a strong niche since they have zoned ad delivery where you can choose a section of D/FW and focus all of your ad dollars and messaging to a targeted market. Also, with dozens of networks to choose from, you could target a specific audience based on TV content. Cable owned 90%+ of live sports and trendy programming was plentiful so viewers paid to tune in.
Streaming TV (2014):
Streaming TV has been around for quite a while but 10 years ago, it was more of an “on-the-go” platform where we tech-savvy folks could watch TV from anywhere. Streaming TV ads were scarce, and viewership was low.
Fast-forward to 2024
Broadcast TV (2024):
This is still a wonderful way to reach millions of TV homes. Broadcast still has live beloved news programming and personalities, big game sports, network favorites, and anybody with an antenna can receive the ads. There are also streaming platforms that simulcast the network, so the commercials follow. Broadcast TV advertising is still a great value if you look at the number of homes you can get into with one shot. During high-profile events, your ad message can go viral as people are watching at the same time and chatting on social media as they watch.
Cable TV (2024):
As streaming TV continues to grow, cable TV homes are decreasing, but cable is still strong. Some cable companies utilize their subscriber data to target their advertisements to a specific home type. They know the home dynamics, the TV, and internet usage, they are the internet providers so they can associate wi-fi connected devices with the home so you can be laser-specific with your ads. Another factor to consider is that cable TV homes pay for luxury TV services. This means that cable TV subscribers have the means and are unbothered by spending money on services. This could be a pre-qualifier for local companies that want an audience that won’t fuss about spending money on shopping and/or services!
Streaming TV (2024):
As TVs got smarter, smart devices like (Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Firestick) converted old TVs into “Smart TVs”, TV viewers became more accustomed to different TV programming delivery methods, and Streaming TV took off. In some zip codes today, there is more TV streaming viewership than linear TV!
Some cable TV providers are moving their subscribers to streaming services now. Even though the experience is the same with a remote, DVR, and TV remote, the TV delivery is via an Internet connection, thus these homes are receiving “Streaming TV ads” and not the commercials plugged into Broadcast, Cable, or Satellite TV.
Since the ads are being delivered via an Internet connection to devices that are actively engaged in watching TV, ad completion rates are near 100%. Delivery can get extremely granular based on household dynamics, viewer type, programming, and zip code, and we can even identify someone who has been to an address follow them home, and deliver a TV commercial to their Streaming TVs!
Popular streaming TV providers are DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV, Apple TV, Hulu, Pluto, Tubi, Roku, Samsung, Amazon Prime, local broadcast TV station apps, cable network apps, paid apps, and hundreds of other options.
The big question…where would you choose to air your TV ads?
There are so many streaming platforms today. How do you know which one to choose?
This is where I come in. I worked for a cable media provider for many years and met dozens of contacts with media companies around Dallas – Fort Worth and the rest of the USA. Coming from the industry, I know exactly which advertising attributes I need for specific marketing goals. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for all companies and the industry changes often. It takes way too much money and time for local companies to explore all of the options on their own. Why wouldn’t you want to have an advertising expert help you make these critical decisions?
If you’re wondering how much it’s going to cost you to hire me, I’d say that you will get much more than you would if you did it on your own. The media companies extend wholesale pricing to advertising agencies like Primo Advertising, and as I am eliminating marketing waste, I am saving you tons of money. Let me take a look at what you are doing. It could be a game-changer.
About Greg at Primo Advertising, LLC:
Greg has been in the advertising industry since 2019 representing thousands of locally focused companies of all sizes. If you could benefit from an expert in the industry, don’t waste any more money. Today is the best time to start planning.