What You Need to Know About Regional TV Advertising

When diving into the world of advertising, one cannot underestimate the effectiveness of regional TV. It offers advertisers an unrivaled opportunity for businesses and brands to engage with specific audience segments. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the potency of regional TV advertising, with a particular focus on the New York Market.

Regional TV advertising

The Core Essence of Regional TV Advertising

Unlike national campaigns that spread a blanket message to a broad audience, regional advertising enables brands to laser-focus ad messages to specific households. This means reaching customers in a specific region and tailoring messages that resonate with the local audience.

• Geo-Targeting & Personalization: Marketers have the option to deliver different ad messages to specific homes watching the same program, or find the precise households they want to reach and deliver ads directly to them – and only them.
• Cost-Effective: Contrary to the high budgets required for national campaigns, regional TV advertising often offers more affordable packages. By narrowing the focus, businesses can achieve a higher ROI without necessarily spending more.

Spotlight on the New York Market

As the nation’s biggest and most dynamic advertising markets, New York serves as a vibrant example of regional TV advertising’s potential.
• Diverse Audience: New York ranks as the top market for Black TV households and the second highest market for Hispanic TV households in the U.S.1 This means that advertisers looking to reach these demographics should be targeting the New York market in their media planning and buying strategies.
• Affluent Consumers: With a staggering 42% higher income than its closest competitor, Los Angeles, the New York market has solidified its position as the premier market for consumer spending power.2

Multiscreen Viewers

In an average week, 65% of New Yorkers’ viewing time is spent on VOD or streaming video.3 By leveraging the power of TV and streaming platforms, advertisers can tap into the vast potential of the New York market and capture the attention of these avid viewers.

Best Practices for Regional TV Advertising

Given the nuances of regional TV advertising, a few best practices can make the difference between a hit and a miss.

• Research is King: Understanding the local audience, their interests, and behaviors is paramount. With first and third-party data, gain valuable insights and inform your marketing strategy.
• Localize Creatives: While it might be tempting to use a national ad and merely modify a few elements for the regional audience, it’s often more effective to create fresh, localized content.
• Monitor & Optimize: Regional TV advertising allows for quicker feedback loops. Monitor the campaign’s performance and be prepared to tweak as necessary.

While regional TV advertising presents a myriad of opportunities, its success hinges on understanding local nuances, being cost-effective without compromising on quality, and staying attuned to market dynamics. With the New York Market as an illustrative example, it’s evident that the challenges are as profound as the rewards, but with the right approach, regional advertising can be a game-changer.

Source: 1. Nielsen 2023 DMA Rankings of TV household. 2. Claritas 360, 2022. Aggregate Effective Buying Income. 3. MRI March 2023 Cord Evolution Study fused to Fall 2022 USA Doublebase, A18+, NY DMA.