Ads can be matched with detailed consumer data based on their home address. This includes household income, property values, car ownership, insurance renewal dates and phone contracts. Age of dependents, pet ownership and household debt to name a few. The selection criteria can also include data from the advertiser about their customers. This means that neighboring homes could see different ads. But TV ads do work.
Television’s effectiveness is well documented, but I believe that TV has two major benefits for online brands.
Trust
Broadcasters in many countries are required to comply with advertising guidelines. These hurdles can be overcome by legitimate brands because they have proven the effectiveness of their product/service is not a problem.
Sub-par brands, which are unable to back up claims with hard evidence, can’t be admitted to the party. TV’s strict entry criteria have allowed it to maintain high levels of public trust. This trustworthy image is passed on to advertisers: a TV campaign gives immediate credibility.
Research shows that TV advertising for relatively new brands is perceived as being larger and more established than it actually is.
Research
What’s the last TV show you saw without looking at your phone? You might think that a divided audience is a bad thing. But in reality, it has helped increase the effectiveness and reach of ads.
Television exposure strongly correlates with brand search and direct traffic to advertiser’s sites. Viewers who are interested in an advertisement will already have a device that allows them to go directly to the advertiser’s website. Online businesses are still the largest category of advertisers on TV in the UK.
How to start with TV advertising
1. Make a media plan that is budget-oriented
An advertising agency will be your first point of contact if you retain them. If you are a startup with a clear vision of your brand, it might be a good idea to work directly with an advertising agency and a media planner. This will allow you to keep your creative direction in-house.
Don’t let the creativity get in your way.
First, you should know how much it will cost. The media space bought from broadcasters is the biggest cost in any campaign. Each addressable TV platform has a sales team that can provide an estimate based on your requirements. Many teams will also have a list of production companies they can recommend.
How you divide your budget between media-buying and production will depend on your objectives.
A simple “direct response” campaign, where you ask people for action such as calling or texting a number, might cost between 10 and 15% of the total campaign costs. These types of ads are something my TV commercial production company Devon has been producing for many years.
A cinematic masterpiece that conveys emotion and builds brand image might be worth the extra cost, assuming the campaign budget is large. If you push the envelope too far towards extravagant production values, you will end up with a stunning commercial that only a small portion of your target market will see.
You can now move on to the next stage once you have your media plan, even an exploratory draft.
2. Look for a production company that specializes on TV ads
It is important to verify that the production company has extensive experience in clearing and producing TV ads.
It sounds obvious, right?
I have picked up pieces for advertisers who had hired a motion designer or general videographer to create a commercial. Although the final ad looked great, it had not been in compliance with advertising guidelines. It was therefore not broadcast. While some flaws can be fixed (by adding more text on-screen or changing the script), sometimes it is necessary to start again.
While regulatory scrutiny is different in each country, you should anticipate that your commercial will be subject to some compliance process before broadcasters are able to accept it. A reputable production company or agency should be able to understand and manage the clearance process in your country.
3. Make sure you have a clear description of the production company.
Solid footing is essential for creative treatments. Here’s where a brief can help.
Where is the pain? Television commercials are solutions to advertisers’ problems. Find out your problem and tell the truth. Once I have a clear understanding of your problem, I can help you find a solution.
What are you selling? A lot of briefs say something like “we want you to promote our company.” Your business is unlikely to be popular with viewers. Like any type of marketing, your solution must be something they actually need. A family does not purchase a heating system to replace their existing one. They purchase it because they are concerned about the possibility of freezing weather causing damage.
Who are you trying reach? It is important that I know which market segment your commercial should reach. Automobile manufacturers don’t try to sell a new model to every person who buys a car. Instead, they focus on city-based professionals under 30 who value safety and fuel economy. It is impossible to reach everyone by trying to reach them all.
What actions must viewers take? Describe your desired outcome. Sometimes, your campaign will help build your brand and keep you top of mind. Sometimes, you might want to direct viewers to a website that will allow them to purchase immediately or prompt them to take the next step. “).
What is the budget? You can get an idea of the budget from your media plan. While effective sales messages can be created for any budget, the creative approach used (e.g. motion design vs live action) will greatly influence budget considerations.
How long is the commercial? The most common length for commercials is 30, 40, 60, or 10, seconds. While it doesn’t directly affect production costs, duration can have an impact on creative approaches.
Advertisers sometimes believe that their first commercial is the best chance to advertise everything they offer. Adverts can be diluted by trying to reach more people with shoehorned offers and products. Do not try to fill every minute. Focus on clarity and not abundance.