Who is Still Advertising on TV? 2019 New and Top Spending Advertisers
In 2019, traditional TV advertising remained a robust $70+ billion industry dominated by retail and finance sectors—with eCommerce retailers like Amazon and Wayfair driving retail's increased share to 14.5%—while the top 10 advertisers collectively spent nearly $10 billion, maintaining much of the same lineup as 2018 despite some shifts such as Verizon, Disney, Pfizer, and Comcast dropping out of the top 10.
Streaming platforms, podcasts, and social videos may be making the headlines, but more traditional TV advertising is far from dead. There’s a reason, after all, that a Super Bowl spot costs at least $175,000 per second.
In this 2019 TV advertising recap, we look at which categories are spending the most on TV ads, who the top advertisers are, and the new players (including DTC brands) entering the field.
Digital advertising revenue may have surpassed TV revenue, but TV advertising is still a $70+ billion industry.
So what did TV advertising actually look like for 2019, especially compared to 2018?
The biggest categories in TV advertising
First up: which categories advertise the most with traditional TV? Retail and finance took the top spots in both 2018 and 2019, with tech and pharma not far behind.
Year-over-year, we see retailers accounting for a larger share of dollars spent on TV ads, becoming the industry spending the most on TV in 2019. The retail industry jumped from a 12.8% share of TV ad spend in 2018 to a 14.5% share in 2019.
Diving deeper into the category, it was eCommerce retailers like Amazon, Wayfair, and even Etsy that helped push the category higher (DTC players, as we’ll see below, also played a part).
At the tail end of the categories was the home furnishings category, which accounted for less than 3 percent of TV advertising spend (to be fair, retailers like Wayfair walk the line).
The biggest players in TV advertising
This year, the top 10 TV advertisers spent nearly $10 billion on television ads. That’s almost 15 percent of the entire market.
But we’ll be honest: there aren’t any surprises when it comes to the biggest spenders in TV advertising for 2019 when compared to 2018. Most of the big players remain the same year to year.
Looking at the top 10 advertisers of the year, we see that 6 of them were also in the top 10 last year. The 4 who fell out of the top 10 this year (Verizon, Disney, Pfizer, Comcast) all still make the top 15 spenders list in 2019.
Those new to the top 10 this year (Amazon, T-Mobile, Hyundai, and PepsiCo) were all in the top 20 last year.
The new players in TV advertising
Again, TV advertising is far from dead. Over 2,000 companies advertised on national TV for the first time this year — including DTC brands and those with a digital-first marketing focus.
These companies collectively spent over $1B — a far cry from the $10 billion spent by just the top 10 spenders this year.
Some notable examples of these new players include:
- PostMates
- Robinhood
- Essentia Water
- Mirror
Related
12 Ads ‘til New Year: 12 New Advertisers in 2020
In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic's drastic shifts in consumer behavior, 411,000 brands spent $81.27 billion on advertising across media, with 5,500 new brands—particularly from direct-to-consumer companies, subscription boxes, and OTT services—emerging prominently to meet the demands of quarantined and socially distanced audiences, as highlighted in a year-end series spotlighting twelve notable new advertisers.
Q4 2023 12 for ‘24 - Gambling & Casinos
In 2023, the gambling and casino sector maintained nearly flat advertising spending at approximately $735 million through November, with sports leagues dominating 60% of the spend primarily via TV, while 12 key brands—despite some individual decreases like FanDuel's 12% drop—collectively increased their ad investments by 126% to $430 million, highlighting shifts in media mix and strategic outreach as the industry navigates mixed quarterly trends and prepares for 2024.
Q4 2023 12 for ‘24 - Fitness & Weight Loss
In 2023, the fitness and weight loss industry saw a 14% year-over-year decline in ad spend to over $917 million through November, driven largely by a 99% drop from Aviron Interactive and a 4% reduction in brands, with TV dominating media spend, Q1 showing a 20% increase, and top sectors like weight loss services, fitness equipment, and prescription weight loss accounting for 90% of the $826 million spent, while twelve leading brands collectively increased their advertising by 83% to $640 million.
Q4 2023 12 for ‘24 - Beauty
In 2023, the beauty sector saw a 3% year-over-year decline in ad spend totaling over $5.2 billion across 5,200 companies and 11,600 brands, with TV still dominating at 34% of spend despite a 10% drop, while online video and native ads surged by 35% and 41% respectively, driven by increased investments in deodorant (up 72%), skincare, and hair care, alongside notable spending spikes from companies like P&G, and a mixed performance with declines in oral hygiene and bath & shower advertising, as MediaRadar highlights 12 key beauty advertisers poised for growth in 2024.
Prospecting Alert: Top 10 TV Advertisers - Winmo
The article highlights the top 10 U.S. TV advertisers spending at least $200 million on Network TV in 2018, focusing on Verizon Wireless as a key example with $355.71 million in Network TV spend, noting recent executive changes and suggesting targeted agency and marketing opportunities to capitalize on their significant media investments amid a growing $72.4 billion TV ad market.
How Home Goods Brands Are Rearranging Their Advertising Strategies in 2022
In 2022, home goods brands are increasingly shifting their advertising strategies toward digital platforms like Facebook and YouTube—driven by rising eCommerce trends and consumer interest in home design and furniture rearranging—resulting in a 111% year-over-year increase in digital ad spending, although traditional TV advertising remains significant.