TV advertising revolves mainly on commercials produced according to time-frames that suit the demands of a particular brand, product, or service. Apparently, there’s an ideal running length that’s unique for every commercial type, which influences the effectiveness of the ad’s message delivery and persuasiveness.
Media groups know how to apply the strengths of each type of commercial length. Allow us to provide some insight according to our experience and expertise in producing TV commercials.
TV Commercial Running Lengths
These are the three most common commercial lengths as seen on TV:
60-second Commercial
Short background: In the 1950s, TV ads were dominated by 60-second commercials based on the standards of radio commercials.
30-second Commercial
Short background: It was in the 1970s when media companies started to trim down TV commercials to 30-second running lengths.
15-second Commercial
Short background: 15-second commercials became part of the norm in the media industry at the beginning of the 21st century.
Today, TV commercials run for as short as 15 seconds up to 5 minutes. Long form (“LF”) infomercials run 28:30. Mid-form (“MF”) typically run 3-5 minutes with the most common being the 5:00 mini infomercial. Short form (“SF”) are any spots that are :15-seconds up to 2-minutes.
Check out our compilation of TV commercials from 30-second to 300-second running lengths.
Factors To Consider For TV Commercial Running Lengths
Attention
Audiences have various attention spans. They may not pay attention to TV commercials that run for too long or too short.
So, what can guarantee their engagement? Creative Content. Advertisers must invest in ad-specific content creatives that will benefit the commercial’s outcome.
Commercial content includes the script, visuals/graphics, and the audio. Delivering the full content must fit into the most suitable length that will qualify the advertisement with just enough attention factor.
Knowledge
The content must level with the knowledge of the targeted audiences, including the language, facts, and concepts incorporated in the commercial.
Emotions
People involve emotions in all their actions. According to the results of your market research, what emotions should the commercial content portray to attract the attention of potential costumers?
Action
Ad visuals with identifiable actions connect with the intended audience. Sensations produced by the effects attract the consumers’ interests on a sensory level. You just have to capture them within the time-frame of the commercial.
Impact
The commercial’s total impact relies on the impression of the ad content within the length of time it was aired. Did it take long enough without valuable content, or was it too brief that the audience thinks it lacks with a “wow” factor?
Takeaway: What Is The Ideal Length of Effective TV Commercials?
Several research data suggest that the average TV commercial running length is at a 30-second rate. But then, we’ve seen 15-second, or 120-second ads entice consumers to take the bait. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all ad length.
The length of the TV commercial is indeed an essential factor in creating the advertisement intended for the targeted audiences. However, the commercial’s time frame depends mainly on the demand of the ad message to meet the delivery.
An informative spot should contain details of the product’s features. How long does it need? Long enough to tell the consumers what they want to hear and convey it quickly.
Find out if your product can fit for a TV commercial. Get a free product evaluation here!
