Shaken and challenged by digital, linear TV is still standing strong. Despite increasingly fragmented audiences, it remains an extremely powerful mass medium. Its ability to rapidly build reach can propel a brand into consumers’ minds and lay the foundations of its identity.We all have decades-old slogans or jingles in mind that still resonate so strongly that we can instantly name a few brands.
That is why many advertisers turn to TV with the ambition of quickly building awareness and brand identity. But how effective is it really? We now live in a world where the GRP alone is no longer enough. In the digital era, advertisers - shaped by the simplicity, costs and KPIs of digital - are increasingly demanding efficiency and performance.
So what digital impact can a first-time TV campaign actually deliver? That’s the question we address here, based on the results of the Realytics TV effectiveness study.
Who are first-time TV advertisers?
Simply put, these are advertisers launching their very first TV campaign. Often (though not always), they are highly digital-first brands with strong measurement requirements and clear expectations. They want to quickly understand what TV brings in terms of business impact.
What the Realytics study shows: TV works from the very first campaign
The Realytics Drive-to-Web effectiveness study, based on the analysis of hundreds of campaigns, highlights a key insight: TV delivers performance from the very first activation, including - and especially - for first timers.
On average, TV campaigns generate +39% digital traffic on airing days, across all industries.
TV is therefore an impact medium. For first-timers, it acts as an immediate accelerator of visibility and traffic - provided it is measured properly.
Data observed within the AdPerformance platform shows a significant and measurable increase in web or app traffic from the very first TV spot airings.
Even “less TV-compatible” industries perform
One of the strongest takeaways from the study is the universality of TV’s impact. Contrary to common belief, B2B, healthcare, luxury, or highly specialized markets also record measurable traffic uplift - sometimes more moderate, but always positive (ranging from +9% to +20%). No sector is immune to the TV effect.
TV boosts all digital channels for first-time advertisers
TV also resonates across all of a brand’s digital channels. It acts as a powerful lever across the entire digital mix - an effect that is particularly strong for first-time TV advertisers and that lasts over time.
In another effectiveness study, we show that TV does not only drive direct traffic. It also acts as a global digital catalyst, delivering on average +72% uplift on organic traffic (SEO, organic and SEA), +93% on paid channels (display, social, affiliate), and +24% on CRM channels (email, SMS).
A medium perceived as more credible
For a brand entering the market, TV plays a structuring role. It establishes the brand, strengthens consumer trust, and legitimizes the advertiser in the eyes of a broad audience. For first-timers, TV is not just a traffic driver, it is a credibility accelerator that digital channels often envy.
In fact, attention and memorization studies consistently show that TV benefits from higher attention levels than digital environments.
For first-time TV advertisers, the real question is no longer “does it work?” but “how do I measure it?”. If TV delivers performance from the very first campaign, the key challenge for new entrants lies in measurement:
- How much traffic is actually generated?
- Which days, formats and channels contribute the most?
- How does TV interact with search, social or display?
This is precisely where first-timers’ expectations align with those of digital: clear, comparable and actionable KPIs. And this is exactly what AdPerformance, available within the Realytics platform, delivers to advertisers and agencies looking to manage and optimize their linear TV investments.
What to remember about your first TV campaign
- TV is effective from the very first campaign
- Its impact and performance are measurable on digital traffic
- All industries are concerned, without exception
- TV acts as a media mix accelerator, not a silo
The question is therefore no longer “Is TV right for me?” but rather “How can I properly manage and measure my first TV campaign?”
