TV’s comeback: Small brands, big opportunities, immediate results
Despite the continued growth of social media platforms and the fragmentation of media budgets, TV is still king when it comes to viewing time. Andreas Ohlbach, Head of Client Services at Transmission, believes that even smaller brands can successfully put their trust - and their money - on the screen.
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Brands have never had more choice over where to spend their media budgets. With multiple options, bigger brands are diversifying their spending, gradually drawing budget away from one platform that doesn’t get enough credit, TV.
Yes, digital continues to grow. Social media spend rose by 21% year-on-year in 2026 according to the Media Performance Report, but while budgets are fragmenting, audiences aren’t. TV still accounts for around 70% of total video viewing time and 85% of all AV advertising time.
TV still accounts for around 70% of total video viewing time and 85% of all AV advertising time.
With more brands advertising across a range of platforms, including the rise of SVOD, there is less budget directed at TV campaigns, meaning there is more inventory than ever. For smaller, ambitious brands, this is a huge opportunity.
Above: Even for smaller brands, with ambition, TV advertising can work for them.
TV builds trust faster than anything else
Many challenger brands are built digital-first. It’s fast, flexible and measurable. But it’s also crowded, skippable and increasingly easy to ignore. TV works differently. Ads appear in an environment where people expect advertising, and they’re regulated to ensure consumers can trust the message. That changes how audiences perceive what they see.
When a brand shows up on TV, it immediately implies credibility, and it’s watched on a big screen with no option to scroll past or skip the ad. This trust is reflected in performance. According to Comcast Advertising, TV viewers are 43% more likely to notice an ad and spend 67% longer watching it compared to social platforms.
Trust matters for all purchases. But there are certain ‘heavy consideration’ categories where it matters more, especially buying a car or choosing a financial provider. Smaller brands could use TV as a major catalyst for audience trust. And with trust, comes impact.
From brand-building to immediate impact
There’s a lingering perception that TV is only for long-term brand building. That’s an outdated view. Used properly, TV can also deliver immediate, measurable results. The brands that use TV well drive short-term uplifts in search and sales, while simultaneously building long-term brand equity. Chinese car manufacturer JAECOO highlights this. Entering TV helped drive a 250% rise in awareness of the brand in its first year in the UK. The way to achieve this is clarity of message.
Smaller brands could use TV as a major catalyst for audience trust. And with trust, comes impact.
What do you want people to do when they see your ad? How will they then remember your ad in the long term? The strongest campaigns do both, combining an urgent message within a broader brand world. The great thing about TV now is the advancements in measurement. Search uplift, traffic spikes and engagement with specific offers can all be tacked in real-time. Any brand can see the immediate results.
We also know audiences are often second-screening. While that might seem like a disadvantage, it can actually help direct consumers to an action without the need to pause TV content. The brands seeing the best results are the ones designing for that behaviour, not ignoring it.
Above: The idea that TV advertising is expensive isn't always true; "while many believe TV ads are expensive to produce, they can actually be produced in quite cost effective way with the right partner."
Smarter, more targeted, more accessible
Another misconception about TV today is that it’s broad, expensive and hard to control. In reality, it’s more targeted than many think. Using SVOD and BVOD together with regional playouts, you can specify the household based on their set up – in fact, 74% of all TV buys have an element of targeting. This goes way beyond age demographics and brings TV nearer to par with social media.
[TV] offers something increasingly rare: the ability to reach large audiences while building trust and driving immediate results.
That changes the game for smaller brands. Rather than competing with everyone, everywhere, all at once, TV allows brands to dominate within a defined audience, creating the impression of scale without the cost of blanket coverage. It’s important to say that TV shouldn’t sit in isolation. Its real power comes when it works in combination with digital. TV builds the initial impact, social and online channels extend it by retargeting audiences and reinforcing core messages. We’ve seen this play out with brands like Wype, where TV introduces the story, and digital keeps the drumbeat going.
TV is ripe for the taking
For a long time, TV felt out of reach for smaller brands. Too expensive. Too broad. Too difficult to measure. But that’s not true anymore. TV is more flexible, more targeted and more accountable. It offers something increasingly rare: the ability to reach large audiences while building trust and driving immediate results. And while many believe TV ads are expensive to produce, they can actually be produced in quite cost effective way with the right partner.
For brands hungry for growth, the question isn’t whether TV works. It’s whether you’re ready to use it properly.
