The British are likely to associate not one, but two TV Kevins with Christmas. The first one is the main character from “Home Alone” (1990). The second is Kevin the Carrot, the hero of Aldi’s Christmas commercials. He first made an appearance in 2016 and has been coming back annually with new adventures. The campaign, created by MacCann Manchester, was critically acclaimed, gaining a Gold Effie in the category ‘Sustained Success’ and becoming, the “most effective and favorite Christmas advertising” in the United Kingdom, beating even the Coke Truck.
Consumers’ favorite
The UK regularly produces celebrated TV spots. Other than Kevin the Carrot, Dove’s “Reverse Selfie” and Mayor of London’s “Have a Word” made it to the ranking of the top 20
most effective ad campaigns worldwide in 2023. Data indicates that the number of TV households in the UK has grown for the better part of the last decade, before reaching an estimated 27 million. TV is also the main
traditional channel where the British come across ads, it is the most trusted ad medium, and it is the second-most important
brand and product discovery source. It is safe to say that TV advertising has an excellent standing among the public in the UK.
The money is slowly drifting away
The UK is the largest TV advertising market in Europe, with an expenditure of approximately 4.9 billion British pounds in 2023. High spending levels suggest that television remains a vital asset to advertisers. However, the figure did register a second annual decrease in a row and latest forecasts indicate the spending will continue shrinking in the future (1468536). The
ad income of the British public broadcaster BBC also recorded a decrease in 2023, and so did the
ad revenue of ITV (Channel 3).
Strong competition
Traditional TV landscape faces mounting competition from over-the-top (OTT) media and video-on-demand streaming options, leading advertisers to rethink their strategies. One of the most widely embraced new advertising interfaces is
connected TV (CTV). It has become one of the most impactful video innovations of the recent past because it allows advertisers to target and reach audiences based on their viewing behavior and preferences. Additionally, seeing that Netflix is now considered the third-most
popular video-based channel in the UK, it only makes sense for brands to branch out into the streaming space.
Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) ad revenue is also growing and is projected to increase at a rate of around 20 percent annually between 2024 and 2027.
A balancing act
Advertisers are walking a very fine line. On one hand, there is a traditionally strong, commonly trusted, and effective medium, but with comparatively limited targeting capabilities. On the other hand, there are modern video streaming formats with increasing uptake and ever-improving targeting technologies but missing the positive consumer perception. Both traditional TV and digital video must be assigned their own slices of media budgets, as they offer different results. A well-balanced media mix is the key.
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