A Comprehensive Analysis of the Disadvantages of TV Advertising: 5 Hardholes that Newcomers Must Know Before Placing

Should we invest in TV commercials this year? "- This is the first soul question that many market newcomers encounter after joining.

TV advertising was once the "king" of China's marketing industry: in the 1990s, a CCTV logo could make a brand well-known overnight. But now, mobile phones have become the "new organ" of the human body, short videos occupy people's time, and the TV on rate has been declining year by year. When budgets are limited and target audiences are becoming increasingly dispersed, understanding the drawbacks of television advertising becomes crucial.

This article neither exaggerates nor blackens, objectively invents the five core shortcomings of television advertising, helps you avoid the pitfalls of "spending hundreds of thousands but not hearing the impact", and tells you which scenarios are still worth investing in television advertising, as well as how to leverage professional platforms to maximize strengths and avoid weaknesses.

1、 The Five Core Disadvantages of Television Advertising
1. High cost and high advertising threshold
TV commercials are a typical 'rich man game'. A 15 second advertisement can cost tens of thousands or even millions of dollars in production; Media purchasing is even more bottomless - during prime time on CCTV, a single advertisement can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions, while provincial TV stations may be slightly cheaper, but they cannot operate without a budget of hundreds of thousands.

For start-up brands or small and medium-sized enterprises with limited budgets, this money may account for the majority of the annual marketing expenses, and once the results are not as expected, there is no chance of turning things around.

Data speaking: A certain third tier TV station's 15 second advertisement during evening time is priced at about 8000 yuan per time. Calculated based on 2 times a day and one month of advertising, the media fee alone is close to 500000 yuan, not including production and agency fees.

2. Audience loss and low accuracy
Television is meant to be 'widely advertised', not 'narrowly advertised'. You have invested in the national channel, but how many of the people who actually see your advertisement are your target customers?

Declining viewership: The younger generation hardly watches TV, and the mainstream TV audience is older. If your target audience is aged 20-35, TV may not reach them at all.

Audience diversion: After the popularization of smart TVs, many people skip live streaming and watch on-demand without even seeing advertisements.

Regional waste: Your product is only sold in East China, but when it was broadcasted on CCTV's first channel, audiences across the country saw that most of the exposure was actually wasted.

TV advertising can't target age, gender, interest and region as accurately as Internet advertising. It can only be roughly screened by channels and time periods, and its accuracy is greatly reduced.

3. Poor interactivity and difficulty in tracking effects
After submitting a TV advertisement, you can only receive ratings data and proof of broadcast, but you cannot know:

How many people search for your brand because they have seen advertisements?

How many people went to your store after seeing the advertisement?

How much sales revenue did your advertising expenses bring?

TV advertisements are one-way dissemination, and viewers cannot directly click or purchase them immediately after seeing them. The conversion path is long and difficult to attribute. Many brands can only say 'it seems to have some effect' based on their feelings after completing TV commercials, but no one can say exactly how much.

4. Complex production and long cycle time
A qualified TV advertisement requires at least one month from creativity, script, filming, post production to review. If it involves celebrity endorsements and special effects production, the cycle is longer. And once the advertisement is published, it is almost impossible to modify the content, so it can only be remade and re published, which is a considerable cost.

In contrast, Internet advertising can be launched tomorrow after writing a copy today. If the effect is not good, it can be adjusted at any time, and the flexibility is not at the same level.

5. Advertising avoidance, viewers actively skip
The current audience has already learned "anti reconnaissance":

When watching live broadcasts, switch channels as soon as there are advertisements;

When watching online TV, simply drag the progress bar to skip;

Some people even wait for advertising time to go to the bathroom and swipe their phones.

Even if the advertisement is broadcasted, less than one-third of the audience may have watched it completely. If your advertising idea is not attractive enough and doesn't catch the eye in the first 3 seconds, the audience won't even remember who you are.

2、 What do these shortcomings mean for the brand?
For beginners with limited budgets, the drawbacks of television advertising may bring the following risks:

Risk of fund sinking: Investing hundreds of thousands may only result in sporadic consultation calls, with a dismal ROI.

Opportunity cost loss: if the same money is invested in Tiktok, Xiaohongshu or elevator advertising, it may bring more direct transformation.

Brand reputation risk: Creating rough TV commercials can actually lower the brand image and make people feel "outdated" or "tacky".

3、 Common misconception: Thinking that TV advertising is dead, but in reality
Although television advertising has many drawbacks, completely denying it is also a misconception. Television advertising still holds irreplaceable value:

Authoritative endorsement: Being able to advertise on CCTV or top tier TV stations is itself a proof of strength and can quickly establish consumer trust.

Large scale exposure: the ability to cover tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of people is unmatched by any Internet media.

Family scenario: Television is the center of family entertainment, suitable for scene marketing of household consumer goods (such as New Year's Eve dinner, family entertainment products).

So, the key is: Does your brand really need TV advertising?

4、 How to leverage strengths and avoid weaknesses? Scenarios where TV commercials are still effective
If you fall under the following circumstances, television advertising is still worth considering:

Scenario 1: Need to quickly establish brand awareness
When a new product is launched or a brand is upgraded, television advertising can quickly reach a large audience and, combined with secondary dissemination on social media, create a topic effect.

Scenario 2: High overlap between target audience and television viewers
If your product is aimed at middle-aged and elderly people, housewives, or niche markets, television is still an efficient reach channel. For example, health products, household items, local alcoholic beverages, etc.

Scenario 3: Adequate budget, pursuing synergy between quality and efficiency
Using television advertisements as an "air force" for high-altitude bombing, while coordinating online search optimization and offline promotional activities as a "land force" to form a marketing loop.

5、 Conclusion: A rational approach to television advertising and the assistance of professional platforms in decision-making
Television advertising is not a panacea, nor is it outdated. Its shortcomings objectively exist, but its value cannot be completely replaced. For beginners, what is important is:

First ask yourself: Who is the target audience? What is the budget? Is the purpose exposure or conversion?

What is the cost per thousand viewers for TV advertising? Is there a more efficient alternative media?

Finally, find the right person: TV advertising involves complex channel combinations, price negotiations, and effectiveness evaluations, and it is easy to fall into pitfalls by exploring on one's own.

Tianci Media is a professional television advertising platform that has been deeply involved in television media for many years, maintaining deep cooperation with major satellite and local stations across the country. We do not engage in sales that deceive you into investing money, but rather act as your "marketing consultant" - scientifically evaluating the applicability of TV advertising based on your budget, goals, and audience profile, helping you avoid cost pitfalls, precision pitfalls, and effectiveness pitfalls. Even if it ultimately doesn't suit television, we will recommend outdoor media combinations that are more suitable for you.

Advertising expenses are not a small amount, don't let 'give it a try' become 'wasted'. Find professionals to make scientific decisions and ensure that every penny is spent clearly.