The global pharmaceutical market is projected to reach $1,864.73 billion in 2025, up from $1,747.07 billion in 2024, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7%. This report from t

 indicates that competition in this market continues to be tight, so marketers need all existing tools to gain a share.

Send emails with detailed descriptions and pushes, use targeted advertising in Google and Meta, create landing pages, buy slots on local radio stations, and even use offline channels. These tools are usually part of an omnichannel pharma marketing strategy. So why do advertisers also need TV when building strategy, and why could it become a primary channel? We have the answers.

 in pharma is a holistic and customer-centric approach that integrates multiple marketing and sales channels to provide a seamless and consistent experience for stakeholders. This approach helps advertisers create a halo effect and maximize audience reach. A TV ad is a good chance to increase touchpoints with existing audiences and reach new audiences that can’t be reached on other channels.

Linear TV’s Role in Omnichannel Pharma Marketing

Linear TV remains a good option for pharma marketers, as the main linear audience is individuals aged 50 and over. Despite downtrends, it still attracts viewers. For example, 127.7 million viewers tuned in for Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025. According to 

, overall broadcast viewing was up 5.1% in January 2025, benefiting from increases in drama series (+15%) and news (+18%).

Linear TV is still a critical driver of brand awareness, complementing digital and streaming strategies to create a cohesive patient journey. While many pharma marketers have shifted investment toward digital and CTV, data consistently shows that linear TV serves as a foundational channel that amplifies the effectiveness of other media. 30 and 60-second TV ads command undivided attention, establishing brand recognition that enhances subsequent interactions across digital, social, and display advertising. Advancements in HIPAA-compliant targeting enable marketers to reach relevant patient audiences on linear TV with greater accuracy, using anonymized data on conditions, medications, and procedural history. Integrating linear TV into an omnichannel strategy helps pharma brands improve audience engagement, reinforce messaging across multiple channels, and drive more effective outcomes throughout the marketing funnel.

CTV’s Role in Omnichannel Pharma Marketing

Connected TV enables granular audience targeting while complementing the broad reach of linear TV. With audience fragmentation on the rise, CTV enables pharma marketers to reach specific patient segments, ensuring messages connect with those most likely to benefit. Unlike linear TV’s broad reach, CTV’s data-driven approach allows for precise targeting, making it effective for both direct-to-consumer (DTC) and healthcare provider (HCP) campaigns. Since some streaming platforms remain ad-free, pharma brands need a strategy that integrates both CTV and linear TV for seamless reach.

Brandformance TV’s Role in Omnichannel Pharma Marketing

Both linear and connected TV can help create a seamless, data-driven advertising strategy. While marketers often segment budgets between linear, local, and streaming TV, audiences perceive it all as a single TV experience. The most effective strategy for building an audience across both channels involves treating linear and CTV as one holistic ecosystem, ensuring optimal reach and frequency while minimizing wasted impressions. By leveraging cross-channel technology, marketers can deduplicate reach, avoid over-saturation, and strategically allocate investments across both platforms. This approach not only enhances brand awareness but also drives measurable performance by maximizing unique audience engagement and response rates.

This chart shows how using both linear and CTV helps reach more potential customers than using linear or CTV alone. Platforms like Simulmedia TV+ help manage budget allocations that maximize the effectiveness of the campaign.

Why include TV ads in a marketing strategy?

 Pharma brands can achieve greater precision in directing their messaging to specific patient populations through audience-based targeting. Using platforms like 

 to target beyond typical age and gender, brands can gain insights and reach customers with higher accuracy, whether they are 55+ golf players in Florida or 18+ diabetic glucose monitor users.

 Pharmaceutical brands are heavily embracing data-driven ad buying to increase brand impact.

 Omnichannel marketing, including TV, helps pharmaceutical companies engage with audiences by providing highly relevant content and added value, motivating them to opt-in for communication on digital channels.

Unified Communication and Brand Awareness.

 TV contributes to a unified image and clear brand message by aligning messaging across different channels. This consistency reinforces brand awareness.

 Omnichannel marketing, with TV as a component, increases the number and variety of touchpoints with the target audience through digital channels and diverse formats.

 Pharma companies are recognizing the importance of virtual communication and integration across channels, with a focus on new modes of engagement, which include TV.

TV remains a key part of pharma’s omnichannel strategy, enhancing reach, targeting, and engagement across linear and CTV. See why it matters in 2025.

TV in Pharma Marketing: The Missing Piece in Omnichannel Strategy

When TikTok went offline on January 19, the platform released a statement on its official page on X the following day, January 20, announcing that it was in the process of restoring service.

But let’s be honest, it wasn’t just a social media blackout - it was a wake-up call for advertisers everywhere. The temporary ban (we hope it was temporary), driven by regulatory challenges, disrupted access to one of the most popular platforms in the United States, leaving over 170 million Americans and more than 7 million small businesses in a lurch. For advertisers, especially small and regional businesses that rely heavily on TikTok for visibility and engagement, it exposed the risks of putting all your marketing eggs in one basket.

TikTok’s appeal as a marketing tool has been undeniable. It’s an engine for creativity, driving cultural trends and connecting businesses with engaged audiences through authentic, bite-sized content. However, its blackout highlighted a hard truth: no platform is immune to disruptions. For advertisers, the lesson is clear—diversification isn’t just smart; it’s essential.

The Risks of Over-Reliance on a Single Platform

For many businesses, TikTok’s algorithm has been a game-changer. Its ability to surface content to the right audiences has helped brands achieve impressive reach without breaking the bank. But the temporary loss of access showcased the vulnerabilities inherent in over-reliance on one platform:

 During the blackout, businesses that depended exclusively on TikTok were unable to reach their audiences.

 For brands running time-sensitive campaigns, the outage meant missing out on critical engagement windows.

 A sudden disruption on a single platform can derail the efficiency of ad spend, especially for businesses operating on tight budgets.

In today’s volatile digital landscape, platform-specific risks are real. Regulatory changes, technical outages, or shifting consumer behavior can upend even the best-laid plans. For businesses to thrive, adaptability and flexibility in marketing strategies are non-negotiable.

Why Connected TV is the Perfect Complement to Social Media

To mitigate these risks, advertisers need to diversify their marketing efforts across multiple channels. Connected TV (CTV) is one such platform that offers unique advantages and complements social media strategies like those on TikTok. Here’s why CTV should be a cornerstone of any diversified marketing plan:

 CTV platforms provide access to audiences that may not be active on social media. With more households cutting the cord and embracing streaming, CTV offers a way to connect with engaged viewers in a premium, lean-back environment.

 CTV’s advanced targeting capabilities rival those of social media, allowing advertisers to reach specific demographics, interests, and geographic locations. It’s especially valuable for regional businesses aiming to connect with local audiences.

 While TikTok excels at short, snackable content, CTV offers a different kind of engagement—high-quality, immersive ads that capture viewer attention in a distraction-free setting. Combining the two creates a balanced strategy that leverages both immediacy and depth.

 Unlike social media platforms, CTV is less prone to the whims of regulatory changes or sudden blackouts. It provides a stable foundation for campaigns, ensuring consistent reach even during disruptions elsewhere.

CTV: A Game-Changer for Small and Regional Businesses

In the past, advertising on TV was often seen as a luxury reserved for large brands with massive budgets. However, platforms like Simulmedia’s 

 are breaking down these barriers, making TV advertising accessible to small and regional businesses and even "just a guy" agencies. With the help of advanced AI tools, 

 is no longer a costly or time-consuming endeavor. In some cases, businesses can create ads for free or at a fraction of traditional production costs, allowing them to compete in spaces previously dominated by major players.

What sets CTV apart is its ability to provide real-time insights into campaign performance. Small businesses can quickly see what’s working and make data-driven adjustments to optimize their campaigns on the fly. This flexibility is invaluable for local businesses aiming to connect with targeted audiences in specific regions or zip codes.

CTV is becoming as indispensable as Google Ads or Meta Ads for small businesses. It offers precision targeting, cost efficiency, and the ability to engage with audiences on the largest screen in the home. For businesses with limited budgets, CTV provides a powerful, scalable tool to amplify their reach and achieve measurable results, proving that TV is no longer out of reach for the little guy.

TikTok’s temporary blackout was a reminder that no single platform can guarantee uninterrupted access to your audience. For small and regional businesses, the stakes are even higher—disruptions like these can mean the difference between reaching your audience and being invisible.

Diversifying your marketing budget across platforms like TikTok and Connected TV isn’t just a safeguard against volatility; it’s a strategic move that ensures your campaigns remain impactful, flexible, and future-ready.

ikTok’s blackout highlights the need for diversified strategies. Combine social media with CTV for resilience, precision, and enhanced audience reach.

The TikTok Ban Wake-Up Call: Why Diversifying Your Marketing Budget Is Essential

When discussing the fastest-growing markets of the next decade, healthcare stands as a clear frontrunner. The global healthcare advertising market, valued at USD 40.11 billion in 2023, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4%, reaching USD 64.21 billion by 2032, according to 

. This growth is no surprise, given the aging global population—by 2050, one in six people will be over 65, compared to the current one in 11, according to the 

. The health challenges accompanying this demographic shift are daunting. 

 forecasts that by 2050, hypertension in the U.S. will rise from 51.2% to 61%, diabetes from 16.3% to 26.8%, and obesity from 43.1% to 60%.

With demand soaring, competition in pharma advertising will intensify. So, what challenges await in targeting TV audiences, and how can advertisers thrive in this evolving landscape? Let’s explore.

Playing by customer rules. The challenges and opportunities in pharma ad

The fragmentation of TV viewership - spread across linear and streaming platforms - presents a dual-edged challenge for pharma TV advertisers. Audiences no longer fit into neat silos; they consume content on their terms, whether it's prime-time linear or on-demand streaming. This disjointed landscape risks diminishing reach and precision unless approached strategically.

, a hybrid approach that merges traditional TV's mass awareness with streaming's measurable, targeted efficiency. This model isn't optional for pharmaceutical marketers navigating strict compliance and niche patient demographics - it's essential.

Tailored messaging is no longer just a best practice; it's the cornerstone of impactful campaigns. HIPAA-compliant targeting, precision audience duplication across channels, and data-backed insights are critical to reaching the right patients while avoiding ad waste. The real opportunity lies in leveraging these tools to maximize reach, ensure frequency balance, and create resonance with both patients and caregivers. Pharma advertisers can navigate complexity and turn fragmentation into a competitive advantage by bridging performance and brand impact.

Unifying Ecosystem. Integrating Linear and Streaming

For consumers, TV is TV—whether it’s live sports on linear or binge-worthy series on streaming. This blurred distinction demands a holistic approach from pharma marketers who aim to optimize reach and minimize waste.

Allocating budgets exclusively to one channel limits impact; the reality is that most audiences engage with both. Marketers can capture the full spectrum of patient demographics by strategically investing across linear and streaming. 

 advanced audience deduplication technology ensures that impressions aren’t wasted, achieving higher unique reach while maintaining optimal frequency.

Live events, like sports or shows, remain a cornerstone of linear TV, making it critical for maintaining mass awareness. Meanwhile, streaming’s precision targeting and data-driven insights allow pharma brands to engage niche audiences effectively. The key is treating these platforms as a unified ecosystem, aligning investment and messaging across channels to amplify brand resonance and performance. This approach turns fragmented viewership into an opportunity for smarter, more impactful campaigns.

Growing business, not metrics. Using Data-Driven Precision

The shift from broad demographic targeting to precise, data-driven methods reshapes pharma advertising. Advertisers can refine their understanding of patient audiences without compromising privacy using HIPAA-compliant tools like anonymized data and clean rooms. Advanced modeling helps pinpoint where and when to engage viewers most effectively. By integrating insights from both linear and streaming platforms, marketers can adjust campaigns in real-time, creating more tailored and impactful outreach strategies. Jason Wittmer, Account Executive at Simulmedia, has more on how pharma marketers can target audiences on TV.

Tailoring Strategies. Navigating Ads During Drug Lifecycle

Pharma advertising requires a dynamic approach, evolving alongside a drug’s lifecycle. Let’s look closer at every stage's most important points (from a tv ad perspective).

The priority in the launch phase is establishing widespread awareness. This is achieved by combining Linear TV's mass reach with emotionally resonant messaging that captures the attention of patients, caregivers, and decision-makers in CTV.

As the drug grows, the focus shifts to leveraging data insights. This includes optimizing performance and refining targeting strategies driven by measurable KPIs like healthcare provider (HCP) visits and new prescriptions.

In the maintenance phase, the challenge is to sustain market share in a highly competitive landscape. This requires balancing ongoing brand awareness campaigns with retention efforts designed to reinforce loyalty and fend off competitors.

The key to success lies in flexibility—adapting strategies as the drug progresses through its lifecycle, ensuring every campaign aligns with current goals. Whether launching a product or maintaining its relevance, understanding the lifecycle is critical to delivering impactful, audience-specific messaging.

Managing Compliance and the FDA’s Clear, Conspicuous, and Neutral Ruling

 introduces a pivotal shift in pharmaceutical advertising. By mandating both audio and visual disclosures of potential risks, this policy redefines how brands communicate with audiences.

For advertisers, it means rethinking traditional 60-second spots, with many now extending to 90 seconds to accommodate these compliance requirements. However, longer ads come with higher costs, making it imperative to balance compliance with creativity.

Maintaining viewer engagement while presenting critical information demands innovative storytelling and strategic pacing. Pharma advertisers must craft transparent and compelling campaigns, delivering compliance without sacrificing the emotional resonance that drives brand connection. This shift underscores the importance of collaboration between creative teams and compliance experts to ensure that ads meet regulatory standards while still effectively capturing audience attention. In an era of heightened scrutiny, compliance is no longer just a box to check - it’s a creative challenge to embrace.

Find out how Simulmedia helps brands navigate these regulatory changes effectively.

Democratizing Pharma Advertising. Providing Accessibility for All

Connected TV has revolutionized access to TV advertising, enabling smaller pharma brands and regional businesses to compete effectively.

Unlike traditional TV’s high entry costs, some CTV services offer the possibility of budget-friendly campaigns that can be tailored to specific regions, patient demographics, or health conditions. Geo-targeting allows advertisers to focus on precise locations - be it urban neighborhoods or rural areas—where their message will resonate most.

 further enhance accessibility by providing measurable solutions that deliver impactful campaigns on a scale previously reserved for large pharma brands. This shift empowers companies of all sizes to leverage TV advertising, making it a viable option for even the most niche markets while maintaining precision and cost-efficiency.

Measuring Success. Implementing The Full-Funnel Approach

The Brandformance approach bridges brand awareness and direct response by aligning top-of-funnel visibility with bottom-of-funnel conversions.

Simulmedia excels at tracking metrics like unique reach, script lift, and precise attribution, offering a clear picture of campaign performance. Through case studies, we showcase how actionable insights from full-funnel measurement optimize strategies, delivering immediate impact while fostering long-term loyalty. By connecting data across linear and streaming channels, we help pharma brands understand how each ad drives patient engagement and outcomes. This holistic strategy boosts ROI and ensures every campaign builds sustainable, measurable success in a competitive market.

The growing market offers immense opportunities but also fierce competition. Securing your share of success demands leveraging the latest advancements and refining best practices. Capturing a customer's attention once isn’t enough—you need to be present at every touchpoint, understanding their needs, addressing their pain points, and being part of their key life moments. In today’s multi-screen world, this means reaching them across every platform without causing ad fatigue—a delicate balance that poses a significant challenge. At Simulmedia, we know how to navigate this complexity, delivering impactful, strategic campaigns that resonate without overwhelming.

Pharma advertising evolves with CTV and data-driven precision, blending compliance, tailored strategies, and cross-platform reach for maximum impact.

Brandformance TV Approach for Pharma Marketing

The recent announcement of the merger between Disney's Hulu + Live TV and Fubo marks a pivotal moment in the streaming industry. This collaboration, described as a consumer-first streaming company, promises greater choice, flexibility, and improved financial positioning for the combined entity. While this merger is a win for consumers and the industry in some respects, it introduces significant challenges for advertisers trying to target the right audiences effectively.

As Fubo’s Co-Founder and CEO David Gandler noted, the merger enables the new platform to scale effectively and offer competitive pricing. However, for advertisers, the merger presents a more complex landscape where overlapping audiences and fragmented data can lead to inefficiencies and wasted ad spending.

Entertaiment industry 2025. The trend for consolidation

The possibility that consolidation will reshape the competitive landscape has become a reality. And Hulu + Live TV and Fubo just started the season.

Analysts predict the emergence of three to five dominant distribution hubs as major players merge or form partnerships to streamline operations and enhance viewer engagement.

The recent merger between Disney's Hulu + Live TV and Fubo signals a shift toward bundled services that unify fragmented viewing experiences. This trend, driven by the need for operational efficiency and audience retention, underscores a pivotal year for the industry.

Mergers and acquisitions are expected to surge as companies adapt to evolving market dynamics. With reduced regulatory scrutiny and favorable financial conditions, major players like Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery may restructure or divest assets to strengthen their core operations.

Meanwhile, Big Tech companies are anticipated to increase their footprint in entertainment by acquiring vulnerable traditional studios, further altering the competitive landscape. These moves reflect a broader alignment toward direct-to-consumer (DTC) models, as traditional pay-TV subscriptions are projected to fall below 50 million in 2025.

Streaming platforms are experimenting with bundling strategies to consolidate their audience base, while regional content becomes a focal point to cater to diverse global markets. For advertisers, this consolidation introduces challenges and opportunities.

Fragmented audiences across newly merged platforms increase the risk of overlapping impressions and wasted ad spend. Navigating this complex ecosystem requires advanced targeting and unified measurement solutions. Strategic partners like Simulmedia can provide the tools necessary to optimize cross-channel campaigns and ensure ads reach the right audience, maximizing ROI in a competitive market.

The Stakes: Missed Opportunities and Inflated Costs

Consolidations like the Hulu + Live TV and Fubo merger magnify the risks of misaligned ad strategies. Without a precise understanding of audience behaviors and preferences across the combined platform, advertisers face several issues:

 When campaigns are not optimized for cross-platform audiences, advertisers pay for duplicate impressions, reducing the cost-effectiveness of their campaigns.

 Consolidated platforms often struggle to provide unified reporting, making it harder for advertisers to gauge their campaigns’ success across different viewer segments.

 Without granular audience insights, advertisers risk showing ads to the wrong segments, resulting in wasted budgets and diminished ROI.

In an era where every ad dollar is scrutinized, advertisers cannot afford these inefficiencies. They need partners who can navigate the complexity of consolidated platforms and ensure that their campaigns are both effective and precise.

The Solution: Strategic Partners to Navigate Complexity

This is where Simulmedia comes in. As a trusted partner for TV media buyers and advertisers, we specialize in simplifying the complexities of fragmented and consolidated media landscapes. Our approach ensures that your campaigns are targeted, measurable, and impactful across platforms like Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.

 Simulmedia’s platform consolidates data from across linear TV and streaming services, providing a single, unified view of your audience. This eliminates the guesswork in targeting and minimizes audience duplication.

 Using advanced algorithms, we help advertisers identify and target the right audiences, whether they’re on Hulu, Fubo, or both. This ensures that your ad spend goes toward reaching new viewers rather than repeating impressions.

Cross-Channel Measurement and Optimization:

 Our tools provide real-time insights into campaign performance across all platforms, enabling you to adjust your strategy on the fly. With Simulmedia, you can allocate budgets to the most effective channels and maximize your ROI.

 As consolidations continue to reshape the streaming landscape, our solutions adapt to ensure your campaigns remain effective in any environment.

Learn how the Hulu + Live TV and Fubo merger reshapes streaming, creating opportunities and challenges for advertisers in a consolidated market.

Disney's Hulu + Live TV and Fubo Consolidation. Why Advertisers Need Partners to Reach the Right Audiences

Throughout 2024, streaming platforms have experienced fluctuating audience shares, highlighting their relentless battle for market dominance. While the final data to crown the ultimate winner will only be available in January 2025, current trends already reveal the key frontrunners.

 reports for January - October 2024, which represent a view of total TV usage by media company, Disney+, which started the year strong, maintained its lead, ending October 2024 with an 11.7% market share. However, competitors like YouTube and NBCUniversal (Peacock) showed consistent growth, narrowing the gap by 10.6% and 9.2%, respectively. These shifts underline the competitive nature of the industry and the importance of adaptive strategies.

Meanwhile, platforms like Paramount+, Netflix, and FOX (Tubi) showcased resilience by leveraging diverse content strategies. Paramount+ climbed steadily from 8.1% in January to 8.7% in October, while Netflix, despite facing increased competition, managed to stabilize at 8.4% by capitalizing on its strong original programming. FOX (Tubi) also grew from 7.6% in April to 8.4% in October, leveraging its free ad-supported model to attract budget-conscious viewers.

Other notable platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Warner Bros. Discovery (Max) maintained steady positions. Amazon achieved 3.6% in October, up slightly from 3.2% in January. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery (Max) showed a solid 6.7% in October, showcasing the power of a well-curated blockbuster franchise and exclusive content library.

Streaming platforms’ audience share for January 2024

Streaming platforms’ audience share for October 2024

Here are the top 10 streaming services that emerged as winners in 2024, based on audience share data from Nielsen Gauge reports covering the first 10 months of the year.

In December 2024, Disney+ Subscription Plans start from $9.99. 

 consistently led the pack, bolstered by its unrivaled catalog of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars franchises. By investing in exclusive originals and international content, the platform catered to global audiences, solidifying its 11.7% market share by October. Its adaptability to audience demands and focus on family-friendly programming made it a formidable player throughout the year.

 across its Music and Premium services. Data from 

s 10.6% share highlights its unparalleled versatility. From user-generated content to live TV through YouTube Premium, the platform balanced short-form and long-form content expertly. By capitalizing on trends like Shorts and fostering creator partnerships, YouTube remained a go-to for younger and diverse audiences. YouTube consistently held its second position throughout the year, starting at 9.6% in January and steadily climbing.

3. NBCUniversal (Peacock). A Hybrid Model for Growth

 ability to combine live sports, a vast library of NBC hits, and hybrid ad-supported and subscription models helped it grow from 8.8% in May to 9.2% in October. Its partnerships and aggressive licensing deals have positioned it as a strong contender in the competitive streaming landscape.

 demonstrated consistent growth throughout 2024, starting at 8.1% in January and reaching 8.7% by October. By leveraging popular franchises like Star Trek and Yellowstone alongside live sports coverage, Paramount+ catered to both niche and mainstream audiences. Its inclusion of live news and sports created a well-rounded offering that resonated with viewers.

, despite increased competition, managed to stabilize its audience share at 8.4% by October. The platform’s investments in international originals, such as Korean dramas and Spanish-language series, along with its focus on blockbuster films, ensured continued relevance. Starting the year at 8.6%, Netflix faced challenges but remained a household favorite.

Tubi offers a straightforward model with no subscription fees. 

 growth from 7.6% in April to 8.4% in October highlights the appeal of free ad-supported streaming. By offering a mix of classic TV shows, movies, and niche content, Tubi attracted budget-conscious viewers looking for diverse entertainment options without subscription fees.

Warner Bros. Discovery (Max). The Franchise Powerhouse

Warner Bros. Discovery (Max) Subscription Plans

Max leveraged its robust library of iconic franchises, including DC Comics, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones, to maintain a strong position in the market. With a steady 6.7% share in October, Max showcased the enduring appeal of premium content bundled with live sports and news.

 held a stable position, growing from 3.2% in January to 3.6% in October. Its strategy of bundling streaming with Amazon Prime memberships and exclusive shows like 

Scripps Networks, focusing on niche channels like HGTV and Food Network, maintained a consistent presence in the market, holding a 2% share by October. Its specialization in lifestyle content appealed to a dedicated audience base.

10. The Roku Channel. The Platform Innovator

No Subscription Fee (Additional subscriptions available for premium channels starting at around $4.99/month)

 leveraged its platform advantage to attract 1.8% of the market by October. Offering a mix of free ad-supported content and premium subscriptions, Roku appealed to viewers looking for convenience and variety.

Discover 2024’s streaming trends! From Disney+ to Peacock, see how platforms vie for dominance and adapt to shifting audience shares.

Top 10 Streaming Services in 2024

2024 Holiday Season Forecast: Cutting-Edge TV Ad Strategies, AI Power, and Pro Tips

has been prophesied since the internet came along. Yet, more than three decades into the WWW boom and at least half of that into the explosion of streaming, nothing’s as black and white as many would believe.

If you're here looking for a quick answer to the question of whether traditional TV advertising is still effective, it's "yes."

There is nuance, however, and it's important to be aware of it if you're looking to invest your money in TV ads. And that is precisely what we're going to explore in this article.

Yes, TV advertising is still effective from every perspective.

If you're specifically thinking of linear (traditional) advertising, then yes, it is still effective. If you're thinking of CTV (connected TV), then that's effective, too.

According to data collected at Simulmedia, 73% of all American households watch linear TV, 84% stream content on their TVs, and 57% do both. More relevant, American households watch an average of 4+ hours of 

 TV daily. That includes linear TV and connected TV (CTV), with 78% of all this time dedicated to linear TV (which is almost all ad-supported!).

It might seem everyone's on their phones, but data tells a different story: one where TV (be it linear or connected) is still a very relevant medium for brands that want to deliver a message. Of course, TV advertising has changed (if anything, even linear TV is now more data-driven than ever, and CTV ad availability is growing by the year.) But at the end of the day, TV ads will always be about trust and exposure. Done right, it will always be effective.

TV advertising vs social media advertising and banner ads

Research shows the average internet user spends around 

 daily on social media. That is, undoubtedly, a lot of time spent scrolling, so it's no wonder that 

Social media advertising comes with plenty of benefits, for sure:

It's easy to set up (no need for a big budget, either)

It's relatively easy to track results and optimize your campaigns.

Social ads are undoubtedly advantageous – but they 

 also getting increasingly more expensive. Meanwhile, TV ads are seen as untargetable and unattributable.

That is not the case, though. You can target modern TV ads through data-driven linear techniques so they’re shown to a good swath of the audience that’s likely to buy from you. And you can definitely measure the impact of your efforts, too (yes, even for those “awareness” campaigns.) TV ads can also trigger a halo effect on your social media ads – because once the show is over, and the remote control’s on the table, people will always turn to Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram for one last scroll before they turn in, and they may prove more receptive to engaging with your ad after having recognized your brand from the big screen.

Your social efforts, banner ads, and your TV ads can and should work in tandem. They are not mutually exclusive, and neither of them is outdated. They are part of the funnel. Instead of looking at them as opposites or competitors, marketers should see them as complementary: where a TV ad delivers the main message (and builds trust, brand affinity, and so on), a banner ad can serve as a reminder, for example. Banner ads are easily ignored (

 of consumers experience banner blindness!) – but TV ads have the power to reach a broader audience and make a lasting impression.

Online video advertising (such as pre-roll ads on YouTube) has similarities with TV advertising in that it has a broad reach and visual impact. However, it also has a lower barrier to entry, which means the competition is fiercer.

The flip side to that? Most online video ads show in outstream units, on autoplay. Worse, some publishers misrepresent outstream units as “instream” units to inflate CPMs, and many of them, despite being “unskippable,” can easily be ignored simply by scrolling past them or clicking the X and shutting them down. While watching a couple of ads at halftime might be OK with most people and are more-or-less accepted by broad audiences already acclimated to pre-roll and mid-roll ads, it’s not as great when these outstream ads are intrusive and interrupting, sometimes covering up the content the consumer is trying to read. This kind of annoyance simply makes for a very low customer experience.

Moreover, online video ads usually live on small screens: smartphones, tablets, and so on. Even when they are in full-screen mode, they still don’t have the same effect as an ad that plays on a large TV screen (the largest screen in the house.)

Yes, online ads might have a lower barrier to entry. And yes, they might be effective in some cases, such as watching a pre-roll ad that comes on before a rerun of the show on your tablet. But at the end of the day, TV ads are just 

 for customer experience, reach, building trust, and memorability.

Let's say you are already on the fence about whether you should start advertising on TV. Here are some of the top advantages to consider:

TV ads have the potential to reach a massive audience, including diverse age ranges and demographics. Yes, the number of linear TV households is declining every year, but the number of linear TV households is still a very large number – about 90mm households as of 2024 (see for yourself by accessing 

). Right now, between CTV and linear TV, more than 110 million households in the US own and watch at least one form of television. That's a lot of potential reach, which makes TV an effective medium for scaled brand awareness and exposure, especially when you adopt a holistic cross-channel approach that spans linear and connected TV. Plus, unlike social media or online ads, where people can scroll by or click away, TV ads have the benefit of capturing a more captive audience.

TV is still perceived as a reputable and trustworthy source of information compared to online ads, which can be seen as intrusive and untrustworthy. By appearing on TV, your brand can benefit from this perception of trust and credibility, making it easier for potential customers to trust and buy from you.

 shows that 20% of people trust offline sources (like TV, radio, and newspapers) more, and only 11% say the same about online sources (such as YouTube ads, Google Ads, social ads, and so on). This is 

 to say online ads aren’t effective or useful – a well-timed and strategized combination of online and offline advertising can be a complete game changer for virtually any business.

TV ads are visually compelling. They use music, motion graphics, storytelling techniques, and more to create an emotional connection with the audience. This visual impact can have a more significant effect on the viewer than text-based or static online ads, which do not have the same ability to evoke emotions.

TV ads are more effective at creating brand affinity and awareness than online ads. With TV, you can tell a story or showcase your product or service in a way that resonates with the audience on an emotional level. Additionally, by being in front of viewers more frequently (through multiple ad spots), you can increase brand recall and recognition.

TV ads are still seen as “too exclusive,” given the high production costs and airtime rates – the truth is a lot more nuanced, though. Ads don’t have to cost millions to produce and run on national TV – however, 

 most likely assign your brand with the idea of “worth” associated with airing adjacent to professionally-produced, premium content.

TV advertising is not perfect (nor is online advertising, for that matter.)

The main drawbacks of TV advertising include:

Producing a high-quality TV ad can be costly, especially if you want to compete with other established brands. From scriptwriting, hiring actors and crew, location fees, and post-production editing, the expenses add up quickly. For smaller businesses or startups, this can be a significant barrier to entry for TV advertising.

However, direct-to-consumer ads and user-generated content, and soon AI-based video ads, will become more popular in recent years, making TV advertising more accessible and affordable to businesses of all sizes. Contrary to popular belief, you don't 

TV ads can reach a broad audience, but most marketers believe they lack the granular targeting options that online advertising offers. Traditionally, TV doesn't allow you to be very specific with your audience's demographics or interests, for example -- but mostly relies on age and gender as the basic targeting units. Interest, affinity, behaviors, habits – they all slip through the cracks in traditional TV advertising.

Modern data-driven linear TV advertising, however, has long bypassed this problem. Platforms like Simulmedia, for example, work with a selective set of high-quality data providers to create niche audiences you can use to build the perfect media plan to efficiently reach as much of your niche/strategic audience as efficiently as possible. Buying ads on traditional TV may still not be as granular nitty-gritty as some digital advertising, but it does one thing better than social, search, and online banner ads: it gets to people who are not as likely to scroll, skip, or click “X” on your message.

Difficulty in measuring outcome effectiveness

Generally, TV ads are considered less measurable than their online counterparts. In part, that is true -- online ads are traceable because when your goal is an action (i.e., a conversion, a download, a purchase, etc.), you can track it directly, from impression to click and then to purchase. Still, it’s worth noting that this level of detailed measurement is slowly going away (with third-party cookies being phased out on Google – and other platforms in the future).

The reality is, however, that one person could see your ad, social posts, and organic content multiple times before they buy. Marketing, after all, is a team sport. So while attribution in online advertising 

 more transparent, it isn't necessarily more accurate (it’s just as accurate as your attribution model – and likely to circle back to basics once third-party cookies are phased out.)

That being said, modern TV advertising has also made strides in measuring effectiveness by incorporating data and analytics to track audience engagement and conversions from the TV to other home devices, such as laptops, tablets, or phones. Measurement devices like incremental lift measurement and spike-level attribution help you determine the effectiveness of your ad probabilistically. For instance, if your ad ran at 9:04 PM and by 9:14 PM your website received a spike in traffic, it is probably your ad at work.

In most contexts, the fact that TV is a broadcasting medium is useful and 

. After all, you want your ad to be shown to as many people as possible, right?

Yet, unlike online ads, TV is not a one-to-one dynamic channel. Modern technology will provide you with info on a significant chunk of your unreached target audience and what shows, networks, or dayparts they’re likely to watch. Still, when you buy that spot, you will show your ad to both people within your target audience and other people who just “happen” to be there.

The audience's mindset when exposed to a TV ad often differs from their mindset when coming across a digital ad. Online ads, be they social, search, banner, or outstream video, need to stop people from scrolling and make them pay attention and not skip the ad. TV ads, however, have a slightly more nuanced approach to capturing attention: they take viewers from a state of passivity (watching their shows) to a state of engagement.

So, what are the rules for creating effective TV ads? Here are some ground rules:

Before you begin creating your ad, it's important to define your objectives. What do you want to achieve with your campaign? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or promote a specific product or service? Having a clear understanding of your objectives will help you create an ad that is tailored to your needs and is more likely to achieve your desired results.

Once you've defined your objectives, you'll need to identify your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your ad? What are their interests and habits? Understanding your target audience will help you create an ad that resonates with them and is more likely to be successful.

The key to a successful TV ad is creating a compelling message that resonates with your target audience. This means creating an ad that is visually striking, emotionally compelling, and easy to understand. By utilizing the power of sight, sound, and motion, you can create ads that are more likely to make an impact on viewers and achieve your desired results.

Before you launch your ad, it's important to test it with a small group of people. This will help you identify any issues or areas for improvement before you launch your ad to a wider audience.

Once your ad is live, it's important to measure your results. This will help you understand how your ad is performing and identify areas for improvement. By regularly monitoring your results, you can make adjustments to your ad and your campaign to improve its performance and achieve better results.

Yes. Advertising on TV can be a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. With the ability to reach millions of viewers and target specific demographics, you can use TV to drive your business objectives and promote your brand. Brands can create a successful TV advertising campaign that delivers real results by creating a compelling ad, testing it, and measuring its results.

Additionally, it's important to remember that TV advertising is not a one-time investment. To make the most of your campaign and achieve the best results, it's important to evaluate and refine your ad and your approach continuously. This may involve experimenting with different targeting methods, adjusting your ad's creative elements, or changing the timing of your campaign.

Another important aspect of advertising on TV is to consider the placement of your ad. A prime-time slot during a popular show can be expensive but will reach a large audience. However, you can also consider cable TV or local channels that can be more affordable but still reach your target audience since they may be more cost-efficient. And, of course, always take a cross-channel approach and reach younger folks who have moved exclusively to connected TV.

Finally, it's important to work with a reputable creative advertising agency that can help you create a compelling ad, and a TV ad-buying partner who can then place that great ad in the right spots and measure your results, whether that’s reach, website visits, or other business outcomes. These experts will have the knowledge and expertise to help you create an ad that makes the most of sight, sound, and motion to achieve your desired results.

 for TV and streaming advertising provides unified access to premium linear and CTV inventory across all networks and publishers. 

 or email us at advertise@simulmedia.com.

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