Television advertising is still a powerful way to advertise on TV, build brand awareness, and reach new audiences. The difference today is that "TV" no longer means only broadcast and cable. It also includes connected TV (CTV), streaming services, and ad-supported platforms. Nielsen reports that ad-supported viewing represented 74.2% of overall TV viewing in Q4 2025.
For brands, that creates more opportunities to put a strong commercial in front of the right audience.
Why Advertise on TV?
TV advertising builds awareness at scale. A well-produced commercial can introduce your brand to thousands or millions of viewers while building familiarity through sight, sound, and storytelling.
TV also continues to reach a broad audience. Nielsen reports that television reaches the overwhelming majority of the U.S. population each week when broadcast, cable, and streaming are considered together.
That makes TV commercial advertising valuable for businesses that want more than a single online impression.
TV Commercials Build Brand Recognition
A commercial gives your audience a consistent way to see and hear your brand.
Strong branding: Make your name, logo, message, and visual identity easy to remember.
Emotional storytelling: Give viewers a reason to care rather than simply listing products or services.
Clear positioning: Explain what makes your business different and why that difference matters.
Memorable messaging: Give viewers one idea they can remember after the commercial ends.
The best TV commercials of all time tend to have one thing in common: viewers remember the story, not just the advertisement.
TV Has Evolved Beyond Traditional Broadcasting
Online TV advertising and CTV have expanded what brands can do with television. Streaming now represents a major share of TV viewing, giving advertisers additional ways to reach audiences beyond traditional broadcast and cable.
Nielsen reported that streaming represented 43.8% of total U.S. TV time in March 2025.
This means businesses can build campaigns across:
- Broadcast TV: Reach broad local, regional, or national audiences.
- Cable TV: Target audiences around specific programming and networks.
- Connected TV: Reach viewers watching through smart TVs and streaming devices.
- Ad-supported streaming: Reach viewers on platforms that deliver content with advertising.
- Digital video: Extend the commercial experience across online channels.
The smartest strategy is often not TV versus digital. It is using the right combination of platforms to reach the same audience throughout the customer journey.
How to Advertise on TV Successfully
The most effective TV advertising starts with the audience, not the camera. Before producing a commercial, determine who you want to reach, what you want them to remember, and what you want them to do next.
Use this simple framework:
1. Define the Audience
Identify your ideal customer by demographics, location, interests, needs, and viewing habits.
2. Define One Core Message
Do not try to explain everything your business does in 30 seconds. Choose one message that matters most.
3. Build a Strong Opening
The first few seconds need to earn attention. Start with a compelling visual, statement, problem, or emotional moment.
4. Tell a Focused Story
A commercial should move quickly from attention to interest to action. Every scene should support the central message.
5. Make the Brand Memorable
Your audience should know who the commercial is for without having to wait until the final frame.
6. End With a Clear CTA
Tell viewers what to do next. That could mean visiting your website, calling your business, scheduling an appointment, or learning more.
How to Get a Commercial on TV
Getting a commercial on TV requires two separate pieces: producing the commercial and buying the media placement.
A typical process looks like this:
- Develop the strategy: Define your audience, goals, budget, and message.
- Create the concept: Develop the commercial's story, script, visuals, and call to action.
- Produce the spot: Film, edit, color-correct, and finish the commercial for its intended platforms.
- Choose the media: Identify stations, programs, streaming platforms, or CTV inventory that reach your audience.
- Schedule the campaign: Determine when and how frequently the commercial will run.
- Measure performance: Track reach, impressions, website activity, leads, and other campaign goals.
This approach helps turn local TV advertising from a simple media purchase into a measurable marketing strategy.
How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on TV?
The cost to advertise on TV varies significantly based on production, market, audience, placement, frequency, and campaign length. There is no single price for a TV advertising campaign.
Your budget may include:
- Creative production: Concept development, filming, editing, talent, locations, and post-production.
- Media placement: The cost of purchasing commercial airtime or streaming inventory.
- Campaign management: Planning, scheduling, optimization, and reporting.
- Distribution: Delivering the finished commercial to the required stations or platforms.
A smaller local campaign can require a very different investment than a regional or national campaign.
The goal should not be to spend the most. It should be to create a commercial and media strategy that produces meaningful business results.
What Makes a TV Commercial Effective?
A successful commercial makes the audience feel something, understand something, and do something.
Focus on five elements:
- Attention: Give viewers a reason to keep watching.
- Emotion: Create a feeling that makes the message memorable.
- Clarity: Make the value proposition easy to understand.
- Brand: Make the company unmistakable.
- Action: Give viewers a specific next step.
At Craft Creative, our approach starts with the story and the audience, then builds the production around that strategy. Craft Creative produces TV commercials, social media videos, digital ads, brand films, and other video content designed for specific platforms and audiences.
The team has also produced more than 3,000 videos over 15 years, including national campaigns, TV spots, brand films, and digital advertisements.
TV and Streaming Work Better Together
Modern TV advertising works best when brands think beyond a single screen. A viewer might see your commercial on broadcast TV, encounter the same campaign on connected TV, and later interact with the brand through social media or digital advertising.
That consistency reinforces the message.
Nielsen's latest research also shows that adults ages 18 to 49 spend a significant share of their TV time with ad-supported content, with streaming accounting for 66.7% of ad-supported TV time for that demographic.
For marketers, the opportunity is clear: build one strong story, then adapt it intelligently across the platforms where your audience spends time.
Frequently Asked Questions About TV Advertising
How do I advertise on TV?
To advertise on TV, first define your target audience and campaign goal. Then create a commercial, select the appropriate broadcast, cable, CTV, or streaming placements, purchase media, and measure the results.
How do I get a commercial on TV?
You need a finished commercial that meets the technical requirements of the station or platform and a media placement. A video production company can help create the commercial, while a media buyer or advertising agency can help secure placements.
How much does it cost to advertise on TV?
TV advertising costs depend on production expenses and media rates. Market size, audience, placement, campaign frequency, and duration can all affect the total investment.
Is local TV advertising still effective?
Yes. Local TV advertising can help businesses build awareness within a defined geographic market. CTV and streaming can add more audience targeting and reach to a local campaign.
Should I advertise on TV or online?
You do not necessarily have to choose one. TV, CTV, streaming, social media, and digital advertising can work together to increase reach and reinforce the same brand message across multiple touchpoints.
Reach New Audiences With a Commercial Built to Perform
The right TV commercial can turn attention into brand recognition, website visits, leads, and customers. Whether you want to advertise on TV, launch a local campaign, or combine broadcast with CTV and digital video, the strategy and creative quality matter.
Craft Creative helps brands develop high-quality commercials built around audience, story, and purpose. Our team creates video campaigns designed to connect with people wherever they watch.
Ready to reach a new audience? Start your next commercial with Craft Creative.
Disclaimer: Advertising results vary based on audience, media placement, creative execution, and campaign strategy. This article provides general marketing information and is not a guarantee of campaign performance.
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