It’s no secret that TV advertising has been challenging all year, though this holiday season’s already presented some new hurdles for Black Friday and Cyber Monday — including a later Amazon Prime Day (October), one fewer NFL Thanksgiving game and brands starting sale messaging earlier in the fall.
Still, those hurdles weren’t enough to thwart advertisers. Department stores still saw 5.83 billion TV ad impressions this year from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, while wireless brands were at 4.10 billion. Toys and games had 2.58 billion impressions, and online and auction websites saw 2.45 billion during the timeframe.
Though plenty of brands saw slight TV ad impression declines as a result of holiday shopping season (and creatives) starting earlier in the year, others surged in the Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday period. Walmart led all brands with 1.69 billion impressions in the five-day stretch — a 57.9% increase year-over-year. The retail giant had two of the 10 most-seen spots on TV as well: “Online Only: Ninja Foodi TenderCrisp” (685.5 million impressions) and “Deals for Days – Chevy Silverado Ride-on” (312.0 million),
Etsy also surged, increasing impressions by 75.3% compared to last year, riding the momentum of ad creative that emphasizes custom gifts for the holidays. With travel guidelines preventing many from seeing family this year, consumers are utilizing Etsy for more personalized options for loved ones.
Target also saw a slight boost in TV ad impressions, at 3.5% and led by its “Holiday: Worry-Free” spot (380.8 million).
For more TV ad insights like these as we head into 2021, check out our latest report on retail business outcomes or contact iSpot for a free demo.