Television Advertising Costs

By Jes 

TV advertisements are often thought to be the most effective course in reaching the masses. TV advertising costs are, however, perceived to be exorbitant making it unaffordable for small to medium sized companies. Advanced planning coupled with proper timing, in reality, make advertisements affordable to these companies.

Professionally produced commercials may be done by giant advertising companies or small, freelance agents with enough expertise. Costs may run to hundreds of thousands or as little as $1,000 depending on the chosen production house. Save a lot by commissioning individual agents or a small production house with a great deal of experience. Immediate response commercials can be produced at a lesser rate than what we call image or "brand" commercials. In reality, a lot of what is shown in TV is a combination of both types. Mounting an advertising campaign with the use of an internet based ad agency called Spot Runner entails a lesser production time at an unusually bargain price. Spot Runner customizes the advertisements according to the company's image, logos, and trademarks.

Costs in airing a TV commercial will depend on the targeted audience, the commercial time available for purchase and the number of advertisers who want to avail of the particular time slot. Advertising in a highly rated show or a big sports event will surely be more costly than in shows with a smaller audience. Daytime or late night spots in local markets are moderately priced. More so, overnight time spots between midnight and 5 am can be bought for as little as $1 each. Although we all admit that a legion of viewers watch primetime shows, prices may run exorbitantly high. Instead of targeting a wide audience, narrowing the field by specifically targeting the market for the product or service may prove to be more cost-efficient for the company. Airtime can be bought from major TV networks, local broadcast or cable channels.

Since the introduction of the remote control, advertisers also have to contend with the viewer's urge to change channels during commercial time. Placing commercials in between a cliffhanger moment or suspense part of the show may discourage viewers from switching channels. A professional looking advertisement that conveys a product or service's competitive advantage over others is an effective commercial. Motivating the audience to buy a product or avail of a service rather than simply entertaining them eventually generates sales for the advertiser. Utilizing the TV for a cost-effective media campaign can be achieved with sufficient planning.