What’s the Average TV Ad Length for Successful Commercials?

Commercial length is something that is questioned a lot at our production studio. Clients want to know how commercial length will impact their ROI and they’re profoundly interested in learning about the ways that the total average TV ad length for successful commercials is determined. While commercials vary in length based largely on where, and when, they are shown, the average TV ad length for successful commercials is typically 30 seconds!

Best Length for TV Ads & Commercials

Television advertising is relative standard in most cases. Advert lengths typically run between about 15 and 30 seconds but there are longer commercials that can run 1 minute or up to 2 minutes. Most television advertising is set for 30-second blocks and, as a result, the majority of TV ads and commercials are filmed at a finished length of 30 seconds.

Studies Show…

However, recent studies found that shorter television commercials were on the rise. In fact, recent trends by Nielsen show that TV commercials are trending closer to 15 seconds in recent years. More than 34% of all commercials in 2017 were 15 seconds in length. That’s up nearly 5 percent in the most recent 3 years.

What Does This Trend Mean?

Not too much, really! The most successful TV commercials continue to be 30 seconds in total length and the majority of them are this duration–coming in at about 49% of all types of television adverts.

Were So Many Commercials Always 30 Seconds?

No! In fact, several decades ago, the average TV ad length for a successful commercial was actually 60 seconds. For many years the 1 minute commercial television ad was highly popular. It’s thought that changes in consumer behavior and attention spans are the cause for so many shorter commercials, but big brands don’t just produce shorter commercials for the hell of it. They do their research and they see consumer patterns shifting towards shorter trends. 

Short and Sweet

Today, most viewers lose interest more quickly than ever before. Thus, a 30-second television commercial today almost “feels” more like that 60-second commercial from two decades ago. In fact, many commercials online are even shorter, but it’s kind of hard to produce shorter-duration commercials for television since most TV broadcasters still use traditional TV time blocks for the purpose of selling commercial advertising space. 

Choosing Your Commercial Length

So what can you do to ensure you choose the best TV ad length of commercial length for your brand? Work with a professional production company to determine exactly how long it will take to convey your message to your audience. You might find that a 15-second commercial will work, or perhaps a 60-second commercial will be better–or, if you’re really lucky and focused on success, you and your professional production crew will find a way to deliver your key message in 30 seconds or less!

Go Team Beverly

Ready to hire a professional TV commercial production company? Give Beverly Boy Productions a call at 888-462-7808!