Don’t Miss This: The Surprising Comeback of Linear TV Advertising
By Kimeko McCoy • December 8, 2023 • 4 min read
Linear TV advertising is making a strong comeback, even in the age of connected video. Brands are finding that the reach and storytelling capabilities of linear TV are still incredibly valuable. Take, for example, 23andMe, the biotechnology company known for its ancestry tests. Chief Brand Officer Tracy Keim revealed that the company has returned to broadcast advertising and she has good reason to do so. She mentioned that the storytelling that we receive from customers has been so overwhelmingly amazing, that it was decided that digital and social media channels weren’t enough to share these stories.
The Hero Gene campaign was aired over Thanksgiving weekend on platforms such as NBC and FOX, reaching a broad audience during popular events. This return to linear television advertising came after more than a year where the company had focused on digital advertising and product development. Despite not providing details of their budget, it’s clear that 23andMe has maintained a linear television budget. In fact, the company has been using linear television advertising since 2021, and increases spending during promotional periods to capture a higher share of voice. The shift in advertising tactics has been observed in light of Apple’s ATT and Google’s loss of cookies for marketing, and the increase in viewership in live sports and television.
23andMe is not the only brand that has decided to turn back to linear television advertising. With the increase in connected television, it’s quite surprising to learn that linear television has seen an increase in ad spend and viewership. Read more here.