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Television advertisement

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A television advertisement is a specific span of programming. It is produced and paid for by an organization. These ads are often called commercials, spots, or adverts. They aim to market a product, a service, or an idea. For many privately owned television networks, advertising revenue is a vital source of funding.

Radio News Sep 1928 Cover
Radio News Sep 1928 Cover

In the United States, the scale of this industry is massive. It was estimated that TV ad spending would reach $69.87 billion in 2018.

The process of television advertising involves three main tasks. First, a team must create an advertisement that meets specific broadcast standards. This step ensures the content follows legal guidelines. In the United Kingdom, a body called Clearcast provides this clearance. In Venezuela, the group CNAC governs this process. Special extended clearance is sometimes required for medical products, food, or gambling ads.

1929- Advertising revenue as percent of GDP (US)
1929- Advertising revenue as percent of GDP (US)

The second task is placing the advertisement to reach a specific customer. This involves media agencies, distribution specialists, and broadcasters. The third task is measuring the outcomes. Marketers look for the return on investment, which shows if the ad was successful.

Broadcasters use specific metrics to decide how much to charge advertisers. They look at viewership numbers from companies like Nielsen Media Research in the United States. In the United Kingdom, they use a service called BARB. These numbers help determine the rates for different "day-parts," which are specific times of day. The placement also depends on the specific network or program being aired. This system allows advertisers to target the exact audience they want to reach.

Television advertising has a long history of discovery and change. The first official paid television advertisement aired in the United States on July 1, 1941. It appeared at 2:30 p.m. on the New York station WNBT. The ad was for Bulova watches and lasted for one minute. It used a modified test pattern that functioned as a clock.

In Asia, the first broadcast ad appeared in Tokyo on August 28, 1953. This was on Nippon Television and advertised Seikosha watches. The UK saw its first ad on September 22, 1955, on ITV. That advertisement was for Gibbs SR toothpaste.

Modern technology has created new ways to show advertisements. One method is product placement, where brands appear directly within a show. For example, the show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition uses products from Sears and Home Depot. Another method is the ad overlay, also known as a Secondary Event or 2E. These are banners or "logo bugs" that appear at the bottom of the screen. They can take up between 5 and 25 percent of the viewing area.

Marlboro-Ferrari
Marlboro-Ferrari

These overlays can even block subtitles or move across the screen to grab attention.

Digital technology has also changed how viewers interact with ads. Many people use digital television recorders (DTRs) to manage their viewing. These devices allow users to fast-forward or skip through commercials. In the UK, 22 percent of households had a DTR at the end of 2008. Interestingly, data from the SkyView panel shows that DTR owners actually watch 17 percent more television. While they skip some ads, they still watch about 30 percent of time-shifted ads at normal speed. This results in viewers watching 2 percent more ads at normal speed than before they had a DTR.

Advertising also impacts different age groups in unique ways. Children under two years old cannot distinguish between a program and an ad. Children between the ages of three and six can tell them apart. Those aged seven to 11 can understand that they are being sold something. However, they may still buy items with poor selling points. By age 12 or 13, teenagers can usually decide if they want to purchase a product. They may still struggle to recognize products used in tricky placements.

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File:Radio News Sep 1928 Cover.jpg
Radio News Sep 1928 Cover.jpg
File:1929- Advertising revenue as percent of GDP (US).svg
1929- Advertising revenue as percent of...
File:Marlboro-Ferrari.jpg
Marlboro-Ferrari.jpg
McDonald's_commercial_(1963).webm
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