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Television Advertising is the brand builder

There is no quicker way to get your Advertising seen and to build a brand.

Television advertising is the second highest medium used on this platform after Radio advertising but TV has the highest in value.

We’re experts in TV planning so please if you’re considering it, ask us now. And we’ve Clients who advertised on TV for the first time last year and happy to introduce them to you.

Why? Because they’ll explain how it transformed their businesses.

First time Advertiser on TV?

If you are, talk to us to get those extra discounts – but we do have to apply and there’s a process which involves time (no cost). But you should do it.

There are no ‘Rates’ as such because you buy audiences, not spots or Ratings.

But always, always, note the Advance Booking (AB) Deadlines shown below. So with TV you buy a target audience group and then achieve a level of coverage and frequency for that group. In other words, how many will see the commercial (coverage) and how often (frequency) during the burst.

If you book early, there are HUGE benefits in cost and availability – normally and generally, 6/8 weeks out before airing.

Ask us now on 085 7100458 and we can guide you through TV. It’s the medium we work with most.

Or enquire about TV Advertising by clicking here! https://app.admatic.ie/catalog/television

A typical current Campaign for 100k (400 Ratings) shown below.

You’ll typically have station splits (using various stations), ratings, coverage (1+ 60% means 60% of the target audience which in this case is housekeepers with kids, will see the ad) and 3+ 39% means 39% will see it 3 times or more.

An average OTS (opportunities to see) of 6.25 times is the average number of viewings. How many spots? Probably 3,000+ over 4 weeks.

20 second copy Station Splits example: 20% RTE, 35% Virgin, 25% SKY, 15% C4, 5% TG4 Total = 100%

Timings TV+BVOD:

400 ratings @ €114k *includes 10% bonus TVRs

Cover: 350 TVRs HW+CH, 1+ 60%, 3+ 39%, OTS= 6.25

Official TAM figures show that Television, occupied much of our leisure time, with the average person watched 2 hours 40 mins of TV every day.

The Christmas Late Late Toy Show was the most watched programme on TV. 1.7m+ and about 88% of all Irish households with kids (and if you have kids, you’ll know that!)

You’ll see the latest Top 10 Programmes and Market Shares from this link but….The most recently published Reach and Station Share figures are always available here https://www.tamireland.ie/downloads/reach-and-share/

The Netflix Effect/Streaming/VOD

The growth of TV Streaming (from the TV Players) of broadcasters’ content, remains higher than the averages up 47-140 per cent depending on the player, reflecting the ongoing shift in the market to ‘on-demand’ viewing (often called VOD Video on demand). Of course, Netflix too now carrying Advertising in the UK & Ireland since November 2022.

Which may mean that ‘live’ TV is declining (except for live Sports) as we all get more used to ‘on demand’ (viewing at a time of our choosing, like ‘Netflix’ which nearly has 1m Irish homes subscribing). You’ll see Advertising on Players in the Digital section. It’s important to understand that Netflix is just another viewing service and not a replacement for TV viewing. 

We all watch live TV in huge numbers and of course for live Sport (which is not on Netflix!) and for example, dominates the RTE 2 viewership and more recently, Virgin.

Netflix now offers an Ad supported option (you’ll see Ads) for about half the price of current subscription. So if you don’t want Ads, you’ll pay a subscription premium. And of course, you can now advertise on Netflix (ask us).

Of course too, there’s other platforms such as Apple TV, Prime, Disney+ etc.

TV spots and Packages

Television Advertising can seem complicated when it’s not. All you want to do is to run a TV Commercial on RTE, Sky, Virgin or Medialink (Channel 4 Ireland) based on a budget and we’re here to help you do that.

So, we’ve tried to de-mystify it by showing our discounted spot rates and packages but please, ask us for help. Unfortunately some stations don’t publish rates cards so you do have to enquire with us.

Adsmart/Skysmart (“addressable TV”)

These are relatively ‘new’ ways of reaching a more ‘local’ TV audience by showing your commercial to only the particular audiences you select (from the station pre-determined selection options called ‘mosaics’) rather than to everyone.

These are grouped in homes called ‘deciles’ or ‘mosaics’ as you’ll see in the ‘Buy Media’ section when you select Adsmart or Skysmart. Only on Virgin and Sky and with low cost (5k) entry packages. Please ask us.

2025 TV ADVANCE BOOKING DEADLINES

AB Deadline
January – 25th November 2024
February – 3rd January 2025
March – 17th January 2025
April – 18th February 
May – 20th March 
June – 22nd April 
July – 20th May 
August – 20th June 
September – 21st July 
October 6th August 
November 5th September 
December 6th October 

See 2025 RTE Rate Card and information here RTE-Rate-Card-2025-V1-2

NOTES:

– Bookings are to be received by 5.30pm on stated deadline day. Any bookings received after this time will not be entitled to the Advanced Booking Discount.

 5% discount will apply at 8 week AB dates for the following
Categories: Oct–Dec: Supermarkets, Cable, Satellite &
Telecommunications.
• 8 week AB from Oct-Dec applies to
Supermarkets, Cable, Satellite &
Telecommunications.
• 6 week AB’s will not be available for Supermarkets,
Cable, Satellite & Telecommunications Oct–Dec.

• Short term pricing may apply in tightly traded
months to certain audiences/ categories – this may
mean the withdrawal of certain audiences after the
ab deadline. 5% discount will apply at 8 week AB dates for the following categories: Oct-Dec: Supermarkets, Cars, Cable, Satellite and Telecommunications.

Consider Cinema advertising and YouTube if using TV.

Consider Cinema as an ‘add on’ to TV (Admatic discount is -25% and more). If you’re booking TV consider Advertising in Cinemas in Ireland – it has advantages. Irish people have the highest cinema attendance in Europe and in a closed, dark environment, your Advertising has extra impact.

Your other TV Questions….

First time Advertiser on TV?

If you are, talk to us to get those extra discounts – but we do have to apply and there’s a process which involves time (no cost). But you should do it.

TV Copy Clearance/Dispatch?

You should check out our ‘Copy Clearance Dispatch’ section on the homepage if you’re unfamiliar with TV…If you’re using a new commercial (or newly edited) TV Commercial that requires Copy Clearance. If you are repeating a TV Commercial that has already been broadcast, you should have no problem. You/we will have to supply the TV commercial/s in good time, normally allow 4+ working days before broadcast.

Sky and Channel 4 is cleared by Clearcast UK. We are happy to do all of that for you and it comes at a cost. Also we do all dispatch to stations via Caria. RTE/Virgin clearance is easier, quicker and more straightforward, thankfully.

TV Early Booking (AB Deadlines)?

Advance Booking (AB Deadlines they call them) on TV is important especially on RTE as broadcasters incentivise you to book early by way of a small extra discount and better spots. Not only does it deliver best pricing but helps to ensure specific programme availability.

See the AB deadlines and if you can take advantage of them, do (even the next time!) but they require 8-week forward planning. Tricky enough because that’s onerous for most advertisers. Plan/Book early is ALWAYS the answer.

TV Transmission times?

We supply these to you in advance (spot times) after booking, as quickly as we can (as soon as the station supplies us in other words). But they generally come quickly.

TV Reports?

We produce a ‘post campaign analysis’ on all TV activity to show you how well your advertising did in terms of coverage, reach and frequency. Who saw your Ad and how many times. Yes, for free.

TV Lengths?

When booking TV airtime, the usual TV commercial length is 30 seconds on which rates are calculated which is probably 95%+ of all commercials. If you wish to use other lengths, you can, but you need to convert the 30 second cost as a percentage as shown below for Radio and TV. 

Price Conversion from 30” Rates for all media

Seconds 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 50 60

Factor 50% 50% 70% 80% 100% 100% +133% +133% +167% +200%

Prices changes?

TV airtime costs change by the month. They increase at peak viewing time (Christmas for example) and reduce off-peak (as for January, showing big discounts). They also vary by time of day as the viewership changes. So, we deliver on a % discount on whatever prices is published by the stations. RTE -10%, Virgin Media -30%, Sky – 60%, C4 – 60%, TG4 -70%. Keep an eye out.

Positions in Breaks ‘PIB’?

All costs are for centre breaks so your commercial appears during the mid-Ad break in a programme. You can ‘fix’ your spot to be first, last in a break or in the first break (as a programme starts) but it incurs a further charge of circa +25%.

Need a TV Commercial?

We have produced a lot! Hundreds. So see our ‘Creating your Advertising’ tab on the homepage.