The use of connected TV (CTV) in political advertising has become a significant trend in the current election cycle, with campaigns increasingly focusing on targeting specific audience segments. Spending on CTV ads by presidential, local, and down-ballot campaigns is rising dramatically, with some campaigns allocating up to 80% of their media budgets to CTV.
AdImpact reports that $1.1 billion was spent on CTV political ads between January and September 2023, and GroupM projects the total political ad spend for 2024 will reach $15.4 billion, with 5% going to CTV ads.
Many marketers, however, are wary about advertising during this politically charged period, as they fear their brand messages could be associated with political content. A survey from Forrester found that 82% of U.S. consumer marketers expressed concerns about promoting their brands during the election season.
This apprehension raises the question of whether brands should avoid CTV altogether until after the election, as political ad spending surges could also impact ad costs and availability.
Political ad spending is expected to ramp up even more as election day nears, with predictions that up to $10 billion will be spent in the final four months of the 2024 campaign. This creates challenges for brands, as the high volume of political messaging could risk unintended associations with political candidates or issues.
Political Ad Surge on Connected TV Challenges Brands Ahead of 2024 Election
As political spending increases, so does the price of CTV ad inventory, which may cause brands to reconsider their spending during critical political periods like primaries or the final stretch before election day.
Despite the risks, there are ways for brands to navigate CTV during the election season without being associated with political content. Platforms like Amazon, Netflix, and certain smart TV manufacturers, such as LG, have opted out of accepting political ads, providing safer environments for brand advertising.
Since the majority of political ad spending is concentrated in key battleground states, many areas of the U.S. will not experience the same intensity of political ads, reducing the likelihood of unwanted adjacency for brands.
There is also little evidence to suggest that consumers negatively view brands just because their ads run near political content. Some media buyers argue that the worry about political ad adjacency might be overstated, as Americans are accustomed to seeing campaign ads frequently.
The high demand for CTV advertising, combined with the platform’s ability to target specific audiences, suggests that brands could miss out on valuable opportunities by avoiding CTV entirely during the election cycle.
CTV offers brands a high level of control and measurement, allowing them to manage audience targeting and ensure brand safety even in politically intense periods. Data-driven strategies enable brands to maintain their advertising presence while avoiding harmful associations.
According to industry projections, consumer ad spending on CTV is expected to continue growing, with no significant slowdown anticipated, making CTV a crucial tool for brands looking to engage audiences effectively, even during an election year.
