First Half Report: 2020 TV Advertising Trends So Far

This has been a transformative year for television — especially television advertising so far. And the sea changes are far from over as we look ahead at the second half of 2020. But before completely turning the page, iSpot recapped January through June on TV, highlighting top trends, creative themes, rising industries and more as audiences are stuck at home like never before.

Want a sneak peak of our new report? Below is just a glimpse of what this report, powered by iSpot data, reveals around the first six months of television, and how having this data can inform strategies for the rest of 2020.

Purposeful Creative. 

In every category, brands reframed creative. The first brands to do so were State Farm, Verizon and Johnson & Johnson, all airing original spots in early March. As we move into later summer, be it social, economic or political, there seems to be no end in sight when it comes to the almost mandatory need to develop purposeful creative.

More Brands, More TV. 

The first half of 2020 saw a 5.2% increase in TV viewership as well as a 37% increase in unique creative. Across the iSpot ad catalog, 3,320 brands ran over 10,200 COVID-19 minded creatives.

CTV’s Time to Shine. 

Streaming is stealing the scene and it’s up over a 33% increase in ad inventory. As audiences cobble together their stay-at-home TV solution, streaming has to be a part of any savvy brands’ buy today and tomorrow.

Audience Shifts. 

From the box office that is now consumers’ living rooms to esports tournaments, audiences are finding new ways to enjoy TV. News is up 34% year-to-date and 42% since March, compared to 2019 as well as alternative sports programs like “The Last Dance” and “The Match,” which combined both delivered over 2.1 billion impressions. Not bad for no season.