TV advertising: how much it costs and how it works

In short: a TV spot’s price depends mainly on the audience of the break (time, channel, programme) and the duration of the spot. Addressable TV now allows household-level targeting, making TV accessible to smaller budgets.

How TV advertising is sold

Historically, TV is sold by advertising break: the higher the expected audience (prime time, major channel, unifying programme), the higher the price. The reference metric is the GRP (Gross Rating Point), expressing advertising pressure on a target.

Price factors

• Time slot: prime time (evening) is the most expensive.
• Channel and programme: audience and affinity with the target.
• Spot duration: 20, 30 seconds or more.
• Seasonality: some periods (holidays) are tighter.

The addressable-TV revolution

Addressable TV allows different spots to be delivered by household (location, profile). As a result, you can do TV without buying a national audience, opening the medium to local or budget-limited advertisers.

FAQ

Is TV advertising only for big brands? Less and less: addressable TV and shorter formats make the medium accessible to smaller budgets, notably for local targeting.

What is GRP? The Gross Rating Point measures a campaign’s advertising pressure on a target: it’s the reference unit of TV buying.

Is TV still effective against digital? Yes, for reach and brand building. Many plans combine TV (awareness) and digital (performance).

PubliCité France — blog, Media. Ask a sales house or media agency for a costed media plan. French version: /blog/publicite-tv-prix/