Seventy-eight percent of the leading one hundred brands enhanced their television advertisement views during the initial six months of the year 2025, according to the data provided by Samba TV.
In the ever-evolving world of advertising, the year 2025 presents a complex and intriguing landscape for television advertising. A recent report reveals that the traditional TV advertising model is facing challenges, with a significant portion of the budget being spent oversaturating one demographic while largely neglecting others.
The report underscores an imbalance in TV advertising, with older audiences being heavily targeted, while diverse demographics such as Gen Z, millennials, Hispanic, and Asian American groups are underrepresented. This trend is particularly evident in the declining core local over-the-air (OTA) TV ad spend, which is projected to decrease by 4.2% to $14.3 billion in 2025.
However, the report also highlights a promising future for Connected TV (CTV) advertising. Accelerated growth is predicted for local CTV/OTT advertising, with a 29% increase to $3.3 billion in 2025. This robust growth indicates strong advertiser interest in digital streaming platforms accessed via TV sets.
The shift towards digital advertising is further evidenced by the total U.S. local advertising revenue, which is projected to decline about 2.4% in 2025 to $169 billion. Digital media, including CTV, offers superior targeting capabilities, enabling advertisers to reach specific consumer segments more effectively.
While specific data on ad over-exposure in 2025 is limited, the average primetime broadcast TV ad load in 2019 ranged from about 12 to 18 minutes per hour. With digital and CTV platforms offering more targeted advertising, there is an implied shift towards optimized ad frequency to balance reach and avoid over-exposure.
The report also notes a challenge and an opportunity for brands to connect with underserved viewers, particularly younger demographics and diverse groups. Geographically, there is a clear pattern of over-delivery in the Northeast, Midwest, and South, while Western states are significantly under-served.
In terms of advertising categories, entertainment remains the top category for TV impressions, followed by pharmaceutical & medical, health & beauty, food & beverage, home & garden, business, finance, legal, and logistics, retail stores, restaurants, electronics & communication, vehicles manufacturers, insurance, travel, and other categories.
Interestingly, the report shows that 75% of the top 20 U.S. advertisers increased their TV impressions in the first half of 2025, indicating a focus on advertising as a primary strategy to gain market share. However, vehicle manufacturers experienced a 25% decline in TV impressions compared to the previous year, while energy and power (up 25%) and education (up 15%) saw the biggest gains.
The report also highlights an efficiency gap in traditional TV advertising, with the top 50% of linear TV households being exposed to an average of 150 ads per day, accounting for 94% of all TV ad impressions, while the bottom 50% of households saw only 9 ads per day.
In conclusion, the TV advertising landscape in 2025 is characterised by declining traditional TV ad spending but robust growth in CTV/OTT ads. Advertisers are balancing cautious budgets amid economic factors while leveraging digital's superior targeting capabilities to improve demographic reach. The report underscores the evolving role of TV advertising as it integrates more fully with digital channels and adapts to changing viewer behaviours.
[1] Local Advertising Outlook 2025: The Changing Landscape [2] The State of TV Advertising in 2025 [3] The Impact of Ad Over-exposure on Traditional TV Advertising [4] Samba TV's Report on TV Advertising Trends in 2025 [5] Connected TV Advertising: A Growing Channel in the Digital Ad Ecosystem
- In the digital ad ecosystem, Connected TV (CTV) advertising has shown a promising future, with local CTV/OTT advertising projected to increase by 29% to $3.3 billion in 2025, attracting strong advertiser interest in digital streaming platforms accessed via TV sets.
- The State of TV Advertising in 2025, according to Samba TV's report, highlights an imbalance in TV advertising, with a declining core local over-the-air (OTA) TV ad spend and a focus on catering to older audiences while underrepresenting diverse groups such as Gen Z, millennials, Hispanic, and Asian American demographics.
- The report on TV Advertising Trends in 2025 by Samba TV also emphasizes the issue of ad over-exposure in traditional TV advertising, suggesting a shift towards optimized ad frequency on digital and CTV platforms to balance reach and avoid oversaturation, particularly among underserved younger demographics and diverse groups.
