TV advertising spending in North America 2000-2024

In 2021, TV advertising spending in North America amounted to nearly 64.7 billion U.S. dollars. This figure represented a drop of about one percent compared to 2020, and according to the latest forecasts, spending on TV ads will likely plateau at this level.

TV advertising trends

Television remains one of the most popular and effective advertising channels worldwide. Despite the ongoing digitalization of the advertising world and the proliferation of online streaming services, marketers still embrace the power of linear television. In North America, the largest TV ad region worldwide, spending on TV promotion has not fallen below the 60-billion-dollar mark since 2011. As the TV penetration rate in the United States and many other markets continues to decline, however, internet ads have overtaken TV as the leading advertising medium.

Most expensive TV slots

While audiences are exposed to advertising messages on a daily basis, airtimes during top-rated TV shows, sports events, and awards ceremonies are particularly popular among advertisers. In the United States, NBC Sunday Night Football was the most expensive show for advertisers on broadcast TV during the 2020/21 season. The average price for a 30-second spot during the show stood at over 783 thousand U.S. dollars, while the cost of a Super Bowl commercial has now hit a record 5.6 million U.S. dollars, respectively.