Linear TV ad spending rises despite falling impressions

Linear television ad spending reached $12.34 billion in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 3.99 percent increase from the same period in 2024, according to the Q1 2025 “TV Ad Transparency Report” by measurement firm iSpot.

The rise in spending came despite a decline in total TV household ad impressions, which fell 5.41 percent to 1.84 trillion. Linear TV accounted for 1.54 trillion impressions, down 4.25 percent from the previous year. The drop in impressions alongside higher spending suggests an increase in the cost per impression.

iSpot attributed the spending trends to advertisers focusing on premium inventory, particularly live programming such as sports, amid economic uncertainty.

The firm cited strong demand and pricing for sports events, including the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, NFL playoffs, Super Bowl and NBA games. March Madness alone represented 2.85 percent of total impressions.

Streaming impressions increased to nearly 14 percent of the total, up from 6 to 8 percent during the same period in 2023. Linear TV held an 86 percent share. The shift underscores the continued migration to cross-platform viewing.

The report analyzed 224 billion ad impressions across 87 brands and 12 product categories. Brands with campaigns in the top third of performance allocated 23.7 percent of their impressions to connected TV. In contrast, lower-performing campaigns allocated 17.4 percent on average.

Live programming continued to dominate the highest-performing shows in terms of impressions.

In addition to sports, scripted series and news programs ranked highly. Titles included “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Price Is Right,” “SportsCenter” and “NCIS.” Morning news programs appeared seven times among the top 20, up from three in the previous year.

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The Academy Awards also contributed to live TV’s resilience, delivering a 4.37 percent increase in ad impressions and a 28 percent rise in viewer attention.

Advertisers appear to be adjusting their strategies to reflect shifting consumer behavior and economic signals. Automotive advertising dropped to 3.07 percent of impressions, down from 4.24 percent a year earlier, while quick service restaurants increased messaging around pricing.

iSpot reported that 53 percent of advertisers now prioritize outcomes such as reach and conversions over traditional metrics like ratings or delivery. Compared to underperforming efforts, optimized campaigns achieved 96 percent stronger reach and 388 percent higher conversions.