How much is the typical cost of television advertising? Complete analysis of advertising costs

How much is the general cost of television advertising? "- When business owners or marketers ask this question, there is often a mixture of longing for the brand hall and anxiety about unknown costs. In today's era of digital marketing, television advertising still occupies the high ground of brand strategy due to its authoritative endorsement and extensive coverage ability. But its price seems to be shrouded in a fog.
In fact, the cost of television advertising spans a wide range, from local station advertisements that cost thousands of yuan in a single run to top-level TV variety show titles that cost billions of yuan, there are countless possibilities in between. Asking for an 'average price' directly is meaningless. The real key lies in understanding the logic behind this complex pricing system, in order to find the most cost-effective entry method that belongs to one's own brand.
This article will thoroughly dispel the fog, systematically break down the cost structure of television advertising, and provide a clear budget planning roadmap.
一、Core Cost Model: Understanding the Composition of "Television Advertising Costs"
The total cost of television advertising mainly consists of two major components: media publication fees and advertising production fees. Both are equally important and influence each other.
Media publication fee: refers to the cost paid for purchasing television broadcasting time slots. This is the most important and complex part of the cost.
Advertising production cost: refers to the cost of shooting and producing the advertisement to be played. The production cost of a 15 second advertisement can range from tens of thousands to millions of yuan.
This article focuses on analyzing media publication fees, as it is the most variable and confusing part.
二、 The five core elements that affect television advertising costs
Your final quotation is the result of the combined effect of the following five elements. They are like five adjustment knobs that together determine the final price.
The first element: TV station level and channel
This is the decisive stratification of prices.
CCTV: National platform with the highest brand endorsement value. CCTV-1 Integrated Channel, CCTV News and other core channels have the highest prime time fees.
Provincial TV stations, such as Hunan TV, Zhejiang TV, Oriental TV and other first tier TV stations, closely follow CCTV in terms of price due to their strong program content and ratings. 2、 The prices of third tier TV stations gradually decrease.
Local TV stations: City level and county-level TV stations with affordable prices, suitable for local businesses to conduct regional precise advertising.
Second element: Broadcasting time slot (golden vs. non golden)
The television station divides the whole day into different time periods, resulting in significant price differences.
Prime time: usually refers to the period from 19:00 to 22:00 in the evening, when household ratings are highest and prices are also the most expensive.
Secondary prime time: Evening, noon and other time periods, with moderate prices.
Non golden/garbage time: late night, early morning, etc., with the lowest price, but the effective audience is also significantly reduced.
The third element: advertising length (seconds)
TV commercials are charged per second, with common lengths of 5 seconds, 15 seconds, and 30 seconds. The price does not simply increase proportionally. The unit price of a 15 second advertisement is usually higher than half of the unit price of a 30 second advertisement because of its higher dissemination efficiency.
The fourth element: advertising frequency and package
Single launch: highest price, least flexibility.
Package placement: TV stations will launch "monthly packages", "quarterly packages" or "sponsorship packages" for specific programs. The mainstream way of advertising is to package purchase frequency and receive significant discounts.
Volume discount: When the total number of seconds or total amount of advertising reaches a certain threshold, additional discounts will be enjoyed.
The fifth element: Program and Rating (CPRP)
The advertising price is directly linked to the estimated viewership of the program. The cost per viewpoint (CPRP) is commonly used in the industry to measure cost-effectiveness. The unit price of a popular variety show or TV drama insert advertisement is much higher than that of regular time slots, but due to high ratings, its CPRP may actually be better.

三、 Cost range reference: from affordable to top tier
In order to provide you with a clear understanding, the following are some rough market reference ranges (only for publication fees, excluding production costs). Please note that this is the pre discount published price, and the actual execution price can be negotiated through the agency company, usually with significant discounts.
Local station (city/county)
Single 15 second advertisement: The cost may range from 1.000 yuan to 10.000 yuan, and may be as low as several hundred yuan during non prime time.
Provincial Satellite TV (Taking Second tier Satellite TV as an Example)
Non prime time 15 seconds: The cost per session is approximately 5.000-20.000 yuan.
Golden Time 15 seconds: The cost per transaction may range from 30.000 yuan to 150.000 yuan.
Top tier satellite TV stations (such as Hunan and Zhejiang)
Golden Time 15 seconds: The cost per transaction is usually between 200000 yuan and 800000 yuan or more.
Popular variety show titles/special offers: The total cost of seasonal broadcasting projects is often measured in tens of millions or even billions of yuan.
Comparison of Special Forms: Airplane TV Advertising and Outdoor TV Advertising
Airplane TV advertisement: refers to an advertisement played on the headrest screen of a seat or on a large screen inside the cabin of an aircraft. It belongs to the closed scene media for high-end business travelers. The cost is usually calculated based on the number of routes and flights, and the total budget for a single launch is generally in the range of tens of thousands to millions of yuan. Its CPM (thousand impressions cost) is extremely high, but the audience is precise and high-quality.
Outdoor TV advertising: usually refers to large LED display screens in outdoor public places (such as commercial streets, transportation hubs). Its cost model is closer to outdoor advertising space leasing, priced on a weekly/monthly basis, and greatly influenced by geographical location, screen size, and foot traffic. It is a completely different system from traditional home TV advertising.
四、 Practical steps for planning TV advertising budget
Clear goal: Is it to establish a national brand or to target regional markets? Is it to increase visibility or to coincide with the launch of new products?
Scope determination: Determine the level of television stations (CCTV, satellite TV, local TV) and geographical range for advertising based on the target.
Set core indicators: Determine whether to target the total viewership point (GRP) or reach. This determines the frequency and breadth strategy of advertising.
Seeking professional agents: Conduct inquiries and planning through 4A companies or local media agencies. They have real-time discount, package information, and viewing data, and can provide more cost-effective combination solutions.
Produce advertising videos that match the budget: The production cost should match the media budget. A well crafted advertisement that costs millions to produce, if only placed during low viewership periods, is a waste; Vice versa.
五、 Common Misconceptions and Important Reminders
Misconception 1: Only asking about "unit price" without considering "efficiency"
During the cheap period, there may be no one watching. It is important to pay attention to CPRP (cost per viewpoint) or CPM (cost per thousand people), as this is the key to measuring value.
Misconception 2: Neglecting production costs
Do not spend all your budget on media purchases, which may result in not having enough money to produce a qualified advertisement. A poorly made advertisement, the more it is placed, the greater the damage to the brand.
Misconception 3: Believing that the threshold for television advertising is unattainable
Local and satellite TV stations provide opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to enter during non prime time. Through precise media combinations and clever creativity, good results can still be achieved.
Misconception 4: Lack of effectiveness tracking
Combining digital means for effectiveness evaluation, such as using dedicated hotlines, QR codes, setting social media topics in advertising videos, etc., to make the advertising effect measurable.
六、 Conclusion: Shift from cost thinking to investment thinking
The final answer to the question 'How much is the general cost of television advertising?' is not in any publicly available price list, but in your clear marketing strategy and professional media planning.
Television advertising should not be seen as a simple 'expense', but rather as a strategic investment in brand assets. Its value lies not only in instantaneous exposure, but also in long-term brand authority building and consumer trust accumulation.