• The tvRoom
  • Posts
  • Turns Out, Ad Support Really Pays Off

Turns Out, Ad Support Really Pays Off

Plus, Spotify's pushing a real page-turner

July 31, 2025

Welcome to The TV Room. Your weekly digest of television, streaming, and digital media insights that matter.

This week we're covering:

  • 😵 All Eyes on Ad-Supported Viewing

  • 🦅 AE’s Latest Ad Flies Off-Course

  • 🎥 Creative Spotlight: Sprite: “Success Hurts”

  • 🎧 Audibooks Are All the Rage, Right?

Ad-Supported Viewing is Captivating TV Time

Ad-supported TV is having a moment. Nielsen’s latest numbers show that 73.6% of all TV viewing in Q2 2025 went to ad-supported content, up 1.2 points from the previous quarter.

Streaming platforms, in particular, have seen a notable rise, now holding 45.3% of the ad-supported viewing share. Guess what viewers are tuning in for:

What's driving the numbers?

Streaming is the clear catalyst. Ad-supported streaming platforms grabbed 45.3% of the ad-supported share, pulling viewers away from both broadcast and cable. While overall TV viewing dipped 9% in Q2—a typical seasonal slowdown—ad-supported streaming held steady. Broadcast dropped 16%, cable fell 8%, but streaming didn’t budge.

This follows a milestone in May, when streaming’s total share of TV usage (44.8%) edged past the combined share of broadcast and cable (44.2%) for the first time.

Here’s how the ad-supported pie breaks down for Q2:

  • Streaming: 45.3%

  • Cable: 28.7%

  • Broadcast: 26.0%

The paradigm shift

May 2025 marked a watershed moment as streaming captured 44.8% of total TV viewing, surpassing the combined share of broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) for the first time ever.

For advertisers, this is a green light. Viewers are flocking to ad-supported tiers, and the living room is now a prime spot for performance marketing. The shift to platforms where results can be measured with digital precision means TV is no longer just about brand awareness. It’s a direct-response channel with reach that outpaces other ad-supported formats.

Brands looking to drive sales, app installs, or web traffic should be paying close attention. The audience is there, the measurement tools are in place, and the opportunity to connect with engaged viewers has never looked better.

Read More:

TV Industry Updates

  • Sweeney's controversy: American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney ad campaign sparked a firestorm when its message about "genes" was interpreted as eugenic.

  • Disney's upfront trends: Disney wrapped its upfront commitments with flat overall volume YoY, though sports fueled a nearly $4 billion push.

  • Distribution deal inked: FOR-A America has signed its first US-based distribution agreement with TecNec.

  • FCC ethics complaint: The Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a disciplinary complaint against FCC chair Brendan Carr, alleging he violated agency rules.

  • Publicis wins big: Publicis Groupe clinched PayPal's global media business, continuing the French holding company's impressive new-business winning streak.

  • OOH measurement standards: The Media Rating Council rolled out "Phase 2" of its out-of-home audience measurement standards.

Creative Spotlight: Sprite: “Success Hurts”

Sprite's "Success Hurts" campaign introduced Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as the first NFL player to front their iconic "Obey Your Thirst" platform, cleverly playing off his famously stoic demeanor.

The Details:

  • The 30-second spot unveiled a fictional reporter named "Thirsten A. Sip" who pestered Hurts with increasingly absurd questions.

  • Hurts actively participated in the creative process, even writing portions of the script himself and staying on set longer to perfect his scenes.

  • The campaign marked a strategic evolution of Sprite's historic "Obey Your Thirst" platform, which dates back to 1994.

What We Loved: The ad brilliantly captured the authentic contrast between Hurts' reserved personality and the relentless questioning of sports media. When he finally broke his silence, it was just a simple acknowledgment that Sprite "tastes good."

Holiday campaigns are already in motion

Introducing The Nice List: your one-stop shop for holiday marketing resources, tools, and inspiration. Consider it your holiday prep HQ, where you’ll find:

  • The 2025 Holiday Advertising Trends Report, which includes insights from 600+ marketers on how brands are planning, spending, and measuring success this season.

  • What’s Driving Holiday Ad Performance in 2025?, a tvScientific x Adweek webinar that breaks down how marketers are adapting strategies in real time.

  • And more content to drive your 2025 holiday advertising strategy.

Marketing Mix

  • Audiobook bangers: Spotify's new campaign encourages users to "Read Like They Listen", using music-centric language to promote their audiobook push.

  • Hiring hot spots: Independent and PE-backed agencies are on a hiring spree, even as overall US ad agency employment sits nearly 4% lower YoY.

  • AI's wild west: A new White House AI framework aims to remove federal regulations, opening a debate among marketers over potential legal pitfalls.

  • Retail media win: Adtech firm Koddi has snagged Kohl's onsite retail media business, taking over from Microsoft's PromoteIQ.

  • The Unilever effect: Following the CPG giant's major pivot to creator marketing, influencer agencies report creator rates jumping 30%.

  • Kidult marketing: Hot Wheels' collaboration with YouTuber Labubu has tapped into the growing "kidult" market, as adults now account for 40% of toy purchases.