Television is no longer the only big stage for brands, but it is still one of the few media capable of putting your logo in front of thousands (or millions) of people at the same time… and doing it with emotion, narrative and prestige.
The problem is not whether television works or not. The problem is whether your brand is using it with a clear strategy or just “for the sake of it”.
If you are considering investing in spots, sponsorships or special formats, you should stop for a second and ask yourself the right questions: what role does brand advertising on TV play in your funnel, what message will you fix in the viewer’s mind, how will you measure the real impact on sales or notoriety?
At Inprofit we work with TV as one more piece within a 360 ecosystem: data, creativity, media and technology. Let’s see it step by step.
Does brand advertising on television still make sense?
The short answer: yes, but not for everyone and not for every purpose.
Television works especially well when your brand needs it:
- Build notoriety quickly in a broad market.
- Reinforce trust in categories where credibility is key (finance, health, insurance, retail…).
- Increase consideration and preference against consolidated competitors.
On the other hand, if your product is niche, your average ticket is very low or your audience is ultra-segmented, it may make more sense to prioritize hyper-segmented digital media and performance formats.
This is where strategy comes into play: TV is rarely the only channel, but it can be the “loudspeaker” that multiplies what you do in digital, point-of-sale, networks and always-on campaigns.
If you are planning your first TV campaign, don’t just think about GRPs and coverage. Think about what story you are going to fix in the viewer’s head and what you want to happen after watching the spot: What to search for your brand on Google, what to visit your website, what to go to your store, what to remember you when you have to choose a category?
What are the objectives of brand advertising on television?
Before you write a single line of script, you need to be clear about the why. Some common objectives:
1. Pure brand awareness
When you are relatively new to the market or you are relaunching your positioning, TV helps you “put the brand on the map”.
Of interest here:
- A simple message.
- A very recognizable creative concept.
- Enough airtime to build memories.
The star KPI is usually Brand Awareness (spontaneous and suggested), complemented by brand searches and direct web traffic.
2. Positioning reinforcement
Your brand is already well known, but you want to adjust the perception: more modern, more sustainable, more premium, more approachable?
In this case, television works as an “emotional repositioner”. You don’t just want to be seen, but to be perceived in a concrete way.
Here we work a lot on brand territory, tone and visual codes.
3. Sales activation with brand support
It’s not a pure tactical campaign (Black Friday type), but it’s not just branding either. It’s a hybrid model: you build a brand and at the same time push people to try a product, visit a point of sale or take advantage of a limited benefit.
It works very well when you integrate it with digital: the spot launches the message and the online campaigns close the circle (retargeting, branded SEM, network campaigns, etc.).
Keys to memorable television brand advertising
It is not enough to advertise on television. If everything is reduced to a nice but forgettable spot, you will have paid for an ephemeral message. The idea is to pay for a brand asset.
A clear and defensible creative idea
The viewer has 20 things on his mind while watching your spot: he’s not going to decipher complex concepts. Your story must be summed up in a single sentence: that’s the core proposition.
Ask yourself: if I remove the logo at the end, would anyone still identify the spot as my brand?
If the answer is no, differentiation work is still needed.
2. Coherent audiovisual identity
Television is a total audiovisual medium, so make sure you make the most of everything it has to offer:
- Recognizable sound: jingle, sound signature, tone of voice.
- Repeatable visual codes: colors, framing, scenes, type of characters.
- Pace and editing: not all spots should be frenetic; the pace should match your brand personality.
Here the objective is to build associative recall: that the user sees a color, a melody or a type of situation and “smells your brand”.
Storytelling adapted to formats
A 20” spot is not the same as a 10” spot or an integration in a program.
Some quick tips:
- In short formats (10”): focus on a message, a benefit or a call to action. Nothing more.
- In 20′-30”’: you can build a mini story with beginning, conflict or tension and resolution.
- In sponsorships or mentions: be very direct, but do not forget to include a brand code (tone, phrase, visual wink).
Think modular creativity: a core idea that supports “sister pieces” for different formats and durations.
4. Frequency, coverage and context
Three variables that make a difference:
- Coverage: how many different people you reach.
- Frequency: how many times on average each person sees the spot.
- Context: in what type of programs and slots you appear.
Your planning must balance these three factors. Appearing once in prime time on a major program can be very prestigious, but if no one sees you again, the memory fades.
Instead, a smart combination of slots, chains and days can give you a sustained presence without blowing your budget.
Does this all sound too technical? No problem. At Inprofit we translate media KPIs into real business impact so you know what you are buying with each euro.
How to integrate television into a 360 strategy?
Brand advertising on television shines when it is not alone. The viewer no longer sits in front of the screen with their cell phone away; they usually have another device at hand, and therein lies the opportunity.
TV + Digital: the winning combo
Some very powerful synergies:
- TV that triggers brand searches: coordinate the broadcast of the spot with Search and Display campaigns to capture that interest.
- Second screen: reinforce the message on social networks at key broadcasting moments (premiere, end of program, major events).
- Campaign-specific Landing Page: when someone searches for your brand after seeing the ad, don’t take them to a generic homepage; take them to an experience aligned with the spot.
TV + Point of Sale
If you have a physical presence, television can be the push that was missing to encourage the user to visit the store:
- Aligns store creatives with what you see on screen.
- Create “what you see in the ad, you have here” mechanics.
- Take advantage of the pull of a massive campaign to launch cross-promotions.
TV + Data
Let’s not forget the less “sexy” but key part: data.
Today, it is possible:
- Measure spikes in web traffic and sales during and after TV shows.
- Cross-reference estimated exposure data with results by geographic area.
- Optimize digital creative and copy based on how the audience responds to the TV message.
Do you want your spot to be more than just “it was nice while it lasted”? At Inprofit we design TV campaigns connected to your entire digital and business ecosystem to maximize the return.
How to measure the impact of branded television advertising
One of the great fears of many companies is: “I’m going to invest in television and then I won’t be able to attribute results”.
It is not as direct a channel as a performance campaign, but it is much more measurable than it seems.
Key indicators
Some basic KPIs to avoid going in blind:
- Brand awareness: studies before and after the campaign (awareness, brand recall, ad recall).
- Web traffic and branded searches: analysis of peaks coinciding with TV shows.
- Leads or incremental sales: comparison of periods with and without campaign, adjusting for seasonality and other actions.
- Qualitative indicators: brand perception, association with specific values, purchase intention.
Attribution models and test
If you want to go a step further, you can:
- Work with econometric models (Marketing Mix Modeling) to estimate the weight of TV versus other channels.
- Geographic testing: launch the campaign in some areas and not in others, compare results and draw conclusions.
- Test different creative versions and analyze which one generates better search results or traffic.
The key is to consider measurement before launching the campaign, not after.
Bring your brand to the screen with a head (and results)
Television is no longer synonymous with unattainable campaigns reserved for a few multinationals. Today you can plan TV actions that are more adjusted, segmented by channels, formats and moments, and above all, connected with your digital strategy.
Summarizing:
- Brand advertising on television continues to be very powerful in building awareness, trust and positioning.
- The difference between “burning budget” and generating impact is in the strategy, creativity and integration with the rest of the channels.
- Measuring is possible, as long as you define clear objectives and an analysis plan from the beginning.
If you are considering making the leap to television, or if you have already done campaigns but do not see the return, it is time to rethink it with a 360º vision.
At Inprofit we accompany you throughout the process:
- We define with you the role of TV within your global marketing strategy.
- We design a creative idea aligned with your brand territory and business objectives.
- We plan media to squeeze every euro invested, integrating television, digital and point of sale.
- We measure impact and optimize so that each campaign is better than the last.
Would you like to see your brand on TV without losing sight of the numbers?
Let’s talk. We can analyze your current situation, estimate investment scenarios and design a customized proposal for your company or SME.
Book an appointment with the Inprofit team and let’s start building your brand’s next big story… this time, on the small screen, but with very real results.
