NEW YORK—Spending on political ads spiked in the week before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, with campaign ad spend surging to nearly three times the overall level in the preceding six weeks, per a new report from Nielsen.
The article “‘The Green Wave:’ Where Political Ad Spend Surged” said the 2.9 times increase surpassed the 1.6 times increase seen ahead of the 2024 general election.
According to Nielsen Ad Intel, nearly 50% of political ad impressions were from local TV. In 11 local markets, political ads accounted for 20% of total broadcast ad inventory in the week before the election. In Grand Rapids, Mich., 40% of ads were related to campaigns in the week before the election, and in the Late News daypart, that share grew to 75%.
The article also discusses how political advertising must walk a fine line between persuasion and overexposure and notes that the top connected TV (CTV) political advertisers rotated creative to combat fatigue.
Nielsen reported that between mid-September and late October, the most successful campaigns grew their creative pool weekly—more than tripling their average ad variation.
It also offers advice on how brands can use the postelection period to reclaim share of voice across broadcast and streaming channels.
The article is available online.
