Navigating a Tight Linear TV Marketplace
The linear TV marketplace has remained steadily competitive in 2025 making it challenging for advertisers to achieve and retain growth. While there have been concerns around consumer spending potentially decreasing, the uncertainty around impacts from tariffs have had minimal impact on advertising spending thus far.
Despite a competitive environment there are still several things that can be done to help improve a campaign’s performance and continue momentum:
- Maximize Best Performers
- Maximize frequency on strongest performing dayparts
- Make sure all available rotations /dayparts are on the schedule
- Use a combination of National and Local breaks to maximize presence on the network
- Leverage all available creative lengths
- Test/Retest Opportunities
- Identify networks and rotations to test and retest
- Consider testing in new programs or programs that have shifted to a different daypart
- Be Flexible with Your Budget—Even in a competitive marketplace there are weekly firesale opportunities across all network types—cable, broadcast network and syndication. Being flexible with your budget will allow you to take advantage of last-minute deals.
- Leverage Guaranteed Deals— Consider guaranteed media deals to layer onto core media to maximize campaign results. These guaranteed deals can be based on CPMs, KPIs, etc.
Advertisers are watching the global economy waiting to see where tariffs, trade agreements and the stock market net out. With so much in flux, it is difficult to project how the upcoming broadcast upfront year will play out, ultimately impacting how open or competitive the linear TV scatter marketplace will be. Staying informed and remaining flexible are key to navigating the ever-changing marketplace.
This article is featured in Media Impact Report No. 65. View the full report here.