Don’t Bench TV Ads Just Yet
By: Michael Schonfeld
Tags: TV, Advertising, Strategy, Marketing, Social Media

Don’t Bench TV Ads Just Yet

Why Marketers Need to Keep TV in a “Mobile-First World”

As Comms Planners, clients and colleagues often expect us to play the media equivalent of a sports scout. Questions such as “which social channel will (insert audience) use next?” and “how will we work with (insert platform)’s new feature?” keep us on top of our game every day.

Our knack for media foresight can push us to prioritize shiny new digital/social opportunities in the name of innovation. But true innovation lies in understanding when today’s technology will become obsolete. Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram expertise make our “team” work best when we also include TV, the veteran player who continues to score while haters joke about retirement.

TV offers the best foundation for brand building

TV still boasts the strongest reach and user involvement of any given platform, making it an unmatched asset in the short and long run. In the short term, brands find that TV work, especially direct response ads, deliver the strongest campaign activation results. In the long term, they find that emotional (think Apple) and fame-driven (think Geico) TV content builds the most salient and memorable brand identities.

Source: IPA’s “The Long and the Short of It”

TV strengthens a brand’s digital content

Although we tend to think of digital and TV as competing entities, they actually work hand in hand to bolster a given campaign. Brands see TV’s “kicker effect” on digital when they maintain a consistent message across platforms and customize content to fit each channel’s needs. This cross-channel strategy earns more share of voice per spend and drives greater ROI. The synergy between TV and digital content has prompted more marketers to opt for the “hand in hand” approach.

Source: ARF’s “RE!THINK 2016”

TV drives a significant portion of brands’ social engagement

TV accounts for a notable amount of interaction between users and brands across social networks. 1 in 5 branded social engagements comes directly from TV advertising. That figure ticks up to 1 in 3 when strictly compared with social ads, the only stronger driver of engagement. Premium programming gives brands the strongest social boost, commanding 4.5 times more engagement than non-premium shows. Similar to its synergy with digital content, TV provides a much needed boon to a brand’s social presence.

Source: 4C’s “Television Advertising is a Key Driver of Social Media Engagement for Brands”

TV hits advertising KPIs more consistently and efficiently than any other platform

TV spots continue to outperform other types of ads in a variety of categories, namely sales and customer acquisition effects. Across industries at similar spend levels, television provides 7 times as much brand lift as paid search and 3 times as much as digital work. Also, TV stands as the only platform in the past few years to maintain its media effectiveness while others’ sharply declined.

Source: MarketShare’s “The Evolving Landscape of U.S. TV & Video Advertising & Consumption”

As digital, mobile and other platforms gain ground (and budget room) in the ad world, television continues to demonstrate its value. Whether assisting its social and digital teammates or carrying the team by itself, TV provides brands with a powerful all-purpose asset. So don’t worry about retirement while this veteran still wins you championships. Save that starting spot.