Thinkbox
TV advertising gives brands remarkable value.It’s accessible to businesses of any size; measurably more cost-efficient than social video; delivers free bonus exposure beyond target audiences; drives sales, profit, and long-term brand growth…and does all of this in a trusted, brand safe, premium environment.
In a world of inflated metrics and fleeting impressions, TV advertising remains the most trustworthy, effective, and efficient investment a brand can make.
TV is way more affordable than you think
Let’s start with a surprising, perhaps counterintuitive fact: the average cost of buying the media space to enable one person in the UK to see a TV ad is just £0.72 (across linear and addressable).
TV is perceived, though, as expensive. That isn’t true, but it is a perception that benefits TV advertisers because it contributes to the belief that TV-advertised brands are more successful, more trusted, and higher quality. The reality is that TV is accessible to businesses of all sizes. Just don’t tell anyone.
Let’s break that down. In 2025:
- 598 advertisers spent less than £50,000 on TV
- 223 spent less than £10,000
- 114 spent under £5,000
Many started small – testing linear TV regionally or using BVOD – before scaling up once they saw the results roll in.
TV is 8x cheaper than social video
TV isn’t just affordable, though, it’s also cost-efficient.
Compared to social media video ads on platforms like Facebook and YouTube, TV is eight times cheaper. This is because these platforms often trade on a cost-per-start basis, so advertisers pay even if the ad is skipped after the first glimpse.
TV is different. With TV, ads are only counted if they’re watched in full, plus they’re seen on a big screen, with sound on, often in company. This creates a far more impactful and memorable experience.
Bonus views = free exposure
TV delivers significant additional value that other video advertising does not.
In online video, advertisers pay for every glance – even when the viewer is outside their target audience, or potentially not human at all.
With TV, advertisers only pay for their target audience. Out-of-target impressions are free, a bonus that increases reach without increasing cost.
Efficiency + quality = effectiveness
TV isn’t just cost efficient, it’s smart.
TV’s completion rates are high, attention levels strong, and its environment is professionally produced, brand-safe, and culturally significant. It’s viewed in full, on high-quality screens, often with others present — which not only drives memory, but also generates conversation, trust, and fame.
All of this contributes to what matters most: effectiveness. TV delivers the highest total volume of advertising-driven profit (54.7%), the strongest long-term ROI (£5.61), and more short-term profit than any other channel (41.5%) bar paid search, according to Profit Ability 2.
