You can't do it without TV - even brands that haven't used a traditional media mix before are finding this out. Quite the opposite: they are thinking digitally or socially, relying on influencers, community and entertainment, and creating content in near real time, so they are succeeding especially with younger target groups. But "social first" doesn't mean that social media should be the only one. The mix is important - and a pure focus on performance runs into its limits. This was also a major theme at this year's Horizon Congress in June, where CMOs from different sectors agreed: brands need to get more front and center again.
"Companies are focusing more on branding again, but that only goes with TV. You can't build a brand with social media alone," Malte Hildebrandt, CEO of Screenforce, said on stage. "On TikTok, for example, the time to view a spot is less than one second. But if you want to create an image or build a brand, a spot needs time. On TV, an ad can get the attention that is necessary to build a brand."
This is probably why more and more young brands are discovering the power of TV. Socially oriented brand Kapten & Son, for example, took a new path this summer, airing TV spots for the first time in the company's decade-long history. The brand talked about an important milestone in its history, a step forward in growth and expanding its target audience. After a clear focus on performance, now is the right time to expand the media strategy, said brand director Arne Züll in an interview with Screenforce. The aim is to create new touchpoints with potential customers and boost reach, trust and brand building.
Reaching new target groups
Miss Pompadour also wants to reach new target groups through TV. This DIY brand has long built its popularity primarily on social media. However, according to brand director Sabrina Thielgen, it was time to reach out to target groups that are not as active on social media through television. The Duolingo platform has taken a similar approach. The language learning app is renowned for its social media actions and entertaining content. Recently, however, a media sensation came along: Duolingo advertises on TV! Markus Krätzschmar, Marketing Director for Germany, explained in an interview with Screenforce: "Linear TV offers a huge reach, especially with target groups that we can't always reach effectively online."
However, according to Duolingo, this does not mean a move away from social media. And it doesn't have to - each channel ultimately has its merits in individual situations. But when it comes to branding, companies can't avoid TV, writes marketing expert Peter Field in a recent article. According to him, brand campaigns that focus solely on performance marketing are only one-third as effective compared to campaigns that specifically focus on brand building.
Johannes Kliesch, founder of leading start-up Snocks, has also realised this. Less than a year ago, he wrote in a LinkedIn post, "After years of scepticism, we started last year and are now spending up to €300,000 a month on TV advertising." In 2023, after a long period of growth achieved almost exclusively through performance marketing, the brand ventured into TV - and with success: thanks to TV spots, it managed to achieve a 16% higher ROAS than meta ads, the CEO revealed. And on the decision to bet on TV, he added: "If we want to surpass €100 million in net sales, there is no other way!"
Source: screenforce.de