From left to right: Daisy Whitehouse, Adam Millbank, Stuart Smith and Angharad Rees Williams
Would you watch a film / story on your phone? Sure, maybe, but what draws you in more: a tiny screen with muffled sound, or a large screen with rich audio in comfortable surroundings? When it comes to telling stories that stick, TV still wins.
Recently, our very own Stuart Smith joined industry leaders Adam Milbank (Co-founder, JonesMillbank x Nine Tree Studios), Angharad Rees Williams (Business Manager, ITV) and Daisy Whitehouse (MD, Down at the Social) for a roundtable discussion tackling a question that refuses to go away: why does TV still matter?
In an age of skippable ads, second screens and endless content choices, the conversation cut through the noise to explore why TV continues to play a central role in building brands. Below, we break down the key moments and insights from the discussion.
What Makes TV Advertising So Emotionally Effective?
The first question focused referenced a talk Adam attended with Mark Ritson about TV’s role in building emotional, ‘fluency-rich’ brand assets. The conversation highlighted that emotion is where TV delivers its greatest impact. Longevity is built through storytelling, and TV remains the platform for it. As Stuart put it, “people buy people, and people buy stories.” TV brings those stories to life at scale, combining sight, sound, and narrative in a way that captures attention. That emotional connection builds familiarity, trust, and memory over time, turning campaigns into memorable brand assets rather than temporary moments.Research has continuously shown that emotive advertising campaigns are by far the most effective. We know from Thinkbox’s ‘Abnormal Behaviour’ study in 2022 that TV is proven to evoke more emotion than any other media type, with 47% of respondents agreeing TV advertising makes them feel emotional. And this isn’t just as simple as John Lewis’ Christmas advert tugging on the heartstrings every year, it can be subtle branding messaging that build deep behavioural connections, i.e. ‘It has to be Heinz’. It works. If I open the cupboard at home and see a supermarket own brand Ketchup, a dollop of that next to my chicken nuggets is inherently less attractive than Heinz ketchup.
Is TV Advertising Out of Reach for Smaller Brands?
The next key topic that comes up is the ‘huge’ cost associated with getting onto TV. If we follow the footsteps of larger companies, how can we compete with their large budgets? It is often assumed that TV advertising is only accessible to bigger brands because they have more money to spend, but that’s not necessarily true. Smaller brands can advertise on TV too; there are plenty of affordable and accessible ways.Harad explains this beautifully at the roundtable, that the industry is making it easier to get on air so that everyone can have a chance to be on TV. A key example of this is ITV’s collaboration with the Alliance of Media Independents (of which Mostly Media are a founding member) and the Backing Business deal they’ve produced to member agencies only. The deal essentially allows new/lapsed TV advertisers to double the value of their ITV campaign. Put simply, £50k down from the client, £50k matched by ITV = £100k TV campaign. For independent agencies like Mostly Media, partnerships like this give our clients a genuine foot in the door, making TV a realistic and powerful option rather than an unreachable ambition.
Why Is Consistency the Real Driver of TV Effectiveness?
So how long do you need to be on TV to see an impact? The short answer, longer than most marketers think. TV can absolutely deliver quick wins, drive sales and put your brand front of mind in the short term, but its real power comes with consistency. As Daisy Whitehouse points out “you can’t build that emotional connection in 6 months”, marketers often get bored and chase immediate results, trusting their dopamine dashboards (Stuart Smith tm pending) in a race to the bottom. The problem? When short-term performance dips, there’s nothing solid underneath to fall back on. The brands that endure are the ones that commit to TV as a long-term investment, using it as a safety net to build awareness, trust and loyalty over time. Think We Buy Any Car, John Lewis and more recently someone like Yorkshire Tea. Ultimately, it comes down to where you want your brand to go. TV gives you the flexibility to run tactical bursts that drive sales today, or to tell emotional stories that build a brand for tomorrow and the smartest strategies do both.
Have Young People Really Switched Off From TV?
As Stuart says, “when I started in this career, it was still very hard to reach a 24-year-old, because they were in the pub”. It’s often said that younger audiences have “switched off” from TV, but the reality is far more nuanced. Ofcom’s latest Media Nations data shows that while under25s are watching significantly less live broadcast TV (just 20 minutes a day on average) overall video consumption at home is actually rising, with the TV set still firmly at the centre of viewing. In fact, 84% of all video watched at home in the UK now happens on the TV screen, with younger viewers increasingly using it to watch YouTube, BVOD services like ITVX and iPlayer, and streaming platforms alongside traditional channels. From personal experience, here at Mostly we’ve seen several YouTube campaigns over the last year deliver upwards of 80% of their impressions on the big screen naturally. Big cultural moments still cut through too. Dramas like Mr Bates vs The Post Office proved that when content truly resonates, it can reach younger viewers at scale, spark national conversation and drive realworld impact. So, while viewing habits have evolved, the idea that young people have abandoned TV altogether is wide of the mark, they’ve just upgraded how they use it.
Final Thoughts
At Mostly Media, TV isn’t something we’ve discovered recently, it’s something we’ve been planning and buying effectively since the 90s. We’ve seen the channel evolve, fragment and grow, and we understand what consistently works. We regularly put CTV and streaming proposals in front of clients, and understandably they get excited about the prospect of appearing alongside shows like Clarkson’s Farm, Fallout or Stranger Things. What we’re always clear about, though, is the reality: those shows will make up a relatively small percentage of total impressions, alongside platforms like Rakuten, Roku, Tubi and a growing ecosystem of FAST channels (including my personal favourite, Robot Wars 24/7). As more digital-first agencies enter the space promising easy CTV wins without a grounding in traditional TV planning and buying, experience matters more than ever. If you’re considering TV, CTV or anything in between and want to work with people who genuinely understand the full picture, drop us a note, give us a call or fill out the form below. We’d be more than happy to talk.
Link to the full roundtable recording, is featured on our YT channel which you can watch here.
Credit: James Budden, AV Account Director
Cait, one of our AV Planner/Buyers, takes a look at the recent Super Bowl and the value of advertising in live sports on TV…
The Super Bowl has once again confirmed what we in advertising know but the average person might not believe: TV is still highly viewed and remains the central hub for viewing content, particularly live sport.
Official viewing figures for Super Bowl 60 have not been released but they are estimated to be an impressive 135.4 million. That continues an average 6% year-on-year growth in Super Bowl viewership over the past five years. This year is expected to break records, becoming the most-watched Super Bowl ever, after last year surpassed the long-standing record set in 2017.
In a world of on-demand, catch-up and short-form content, live sport remains one of the few moments where audiences actively gather, watch in real time, and engage together. That shared, unskippable experience is incredibly powerful. TV isn’t dying but thriving, and live sport is a huge player in that (sports pun).
Live sport strength is recognised in advertising too. NBC advertising space in the Super Bowl sold out five months early, the fastest sellout in Super Bowl history. Despite the high price tag, demand for these advertising spots were high too proving that brands still see immense value in premium, mass-reach TV moments.
A huge shout-out to our UK TV client MANSCAPED who made their Super Bowl debut with the brilliantly bonkers “Mancare Your Everywhere” campaign. The global men’s grooming brand is always a joy to work with due to it’s creative and unique ads. They stand out in a category that usually plays it safe by straying from the usual celebrity endorsements and instead showcasing ‘grotesque-yet-weirdly-lovable singing hairball monsters who are ultimately chopped off and thrown away’ turning ‘the disposable into the unforgettable.’ Exactly the type of creative risk that cuts through (shaving pun).
Fun fact! Lady Gaga headlined Super Bowl 51 (2017), which previously held the viewership crown. Her record was only beaten for a single year before she returned to perform again this year as a support artist, reclaiming the top spot and cementing her place in Super Bowl history. She is such an icon.
At Mostly Media TV sits firmly at the heart of what we do. We specialise in helping brands understand the true power of TV, from live sport to high-impact moments like the Super Bowl, and in building campaigns that make the most of its unmatched reach, attention, and cultural influence. If you’re curious about what TV can really do for your brand, we’re always happy to talk.
Credit: Caitlin Blue, AV Planner/Buyer
(Image: Shutterstock/ibreakstock)
Our very own Alex Pilkington features in The Media Leader UK with his brilliantly cool take on the correlation between indie labels of the music industry and media independents. His article is part of the new ‘Indie Leader’ series through the Alliance of Independent Agencies and Alliance of Media Independents (AMI).
Alex perfectly describes why ‘independents aren’t the scrappy underdogs reserved for the sticky pub floors anymore’ and now deservedly have a seat at the top table.
Mostly Media has been proudly independent for over 30 years. As a founding member of the AMI, we continue to see the cool indie sector go from strength to strength against the larger networks.
You can read Alex’s article here and do get in touch if you’d like to discuss.
Our very own Jamie and Buddy recently attended the NSBRC Winter Show. Here’s Jamies account of their visit…
Last Friday, James Budden and I managed to escape the office to attend The National Self Build & Renovation Centre | B Corp™ Winter Show, their biggest event of the year. We’ve supported the NSBRC Winter Show for the last 3 years with Regional TV Campaigns, so hopefully you’ve been able to see the ad if you’re based in the West/West Country!
For anyone unfamiliar, NSBRC is a permanent hub helping people build, extend, and renovate their homes, offering expert advice, inspiration, and products all under one roof.
From air source heat pumps to full two-storey houses, the show had everything you could need to know about renovation. It was also great to see one of our clients, Bradfords Building Supplies Ltd, showcasing their brand alongside so many others. When two worlds collide.
One thing that really impressed me was learning from Harvey Fremlin that NSBRC actually owns the hanger space and operates it year-round, rather than just hiring it for events. Whether you’ve just bought a house or you’re planning an extension, NSBRC is there all year to support you.
Thanks for having us. It was brilliant to see first-hand the great work our client does. See below for some goofy photos of me and James (recent homeowner, but wouldn’t renovate a shed if you asked him) enjoying the day.
Credit: Jamie Murphy, AV Planner/Buyer
(Image: Shutterstock/PeopleImages)
Shopping online has changed. People no longer start by visiting a shop website or typing a brand name into a search engine. Instead, they ask questions. They ask things like, “What is the best laptop for working from home?” or “Which backpack is good for weekend travel?” Increasingly, they are asking these questions inside ChatGPT.
Until recently, these conversations stopped at advice. ChatGPT could help people decide what to buy, but they still had to leave the chat, visit a website and complete the purchase elsewhere. That extra effort often meant delays, distractions, or no purchase at all.
Instant Checkout changes that.
It allows people to buy directly from a merchant inside their ChatGPT conversation. This makes shopping simpler for customers and creates a new way for merchants to reach people who are already ready to buy.
In a recent interview, Chief Technology & Transformation Officer for JD Sports, Jetan Chowk, sums this new platform up, perfectly: “This move isn’t just incremental — it’s the future of how people will shop. Being able to discover and purchase in the same conversation fundamentally reshapes the customer journey.”
Why Conversations Matter in Shopping
When someone asks ChatGPT for product advice, they are not browsing for fun. They usually have a problem they want to solve or a purchase they already have in mind.
For example, a person asking for “a durable carry-on under £300” has already decided they want to buy a suitcase. They know their budget and what they care about. They are simply looking for help choosing the right option.
This moment is important because the customer is focused and motivated. Traditional online shopping often breaks this focus by forcing the customer to jump between websites, logins and payment pages. Every extra step increases the chance they will give up.
Microsoft research indicates in fact that 71% of consumers can find information quicker using generative AI tools than traditional search, and when you factor in this notion with purchasing decisions, more and more consumers will be turning to ChatGPT, Gemini and other tools to guide them through buying journeys.
Comparing Options in One Place
In an OpenAI & NBER paper published in September 2025, research found that around 24% of total messages worldwide per week on ChatGPT are seeking information, with just over 2% relating to product purchases – this equates to around 50,000 conversations ever week.
The data shows that this is only going to grow as more users are turning to ChatGPT and other generative AI tools.
Once a customer finds a product they like, ChatGPT shows where it is available to buy. Customers can also see different sellers offering the same product and compare them easily.
Merchants are shown based on:
Even if a merchant does not enable Instant Checkout, customers can still click through to their website. However, enabling Instant Checkout makes buying faster and more convenient, which often leads to more completed purchases.
Merchants Stay in Control
A common concern is whether selling through ChatGPT means losing the customer relationship. It does not.
Merchants stay responsible for:
Merchants also send the order confirmation email and manage all post-purchase communication. Customers can view their order details in ChatGPT, but they are directed to the merchant’s site for tracking and support.
Instant Checkout does not allow merchants to automatically add customers to marketing mailing lists. This protects customer privacy and keeps communication clear and respectful.
Getting Started as a Merchant
Merchants who want to take part need to:
OpenAI is onboarding merchants gradually, starting in the United States, with plans to expand to other countries. Merchants can apply through a short application form and will be contacted when they are ready to be onboarded.
What This Means for the Future of Shopping
More people are turning to AI tools to help them make decisions. Shopping is becoming more conversational and more focused on solving specific needs quickly.
Instant Checkout supports this change by allowing purchases to happen naturally, at the moment a customer is ready to buy.
For merchants, this is an opportunity to meet customers where they already are, without giving up control or investing heavily in new systems. It offers a simple way to turn interest into sales.
Final Thoughts
ChatGPT Instant Checkout connects product discovery and purchase in a single experience. It helps customers buy more easily and helps merchants capture demand at the right moment.
By making shopping simpler, faster and more direct, it reflects how people actually want to buy today. For merchants looking to grow in a changing digital landscape, this is a practical and accessible step forward.
Conversations are already happening. Instant Checkout simply makes it possible to turn those conversations into completed purchases.
If you’d like further info on this just get in touch with our Digital team.
Credit: Matt Rushton, Digital Account Manager and Shani Hawthorne-Williams, Head of Digital
Look at that pair of smiling faces. Why? Well, at the recent Pimento Christmas Party, Mostly Media was awarded 5-star member status in the wonderful Pimento Network!
For those who don’t know Pimento, they’re the UK’s largest independent marketing and communications network – over 170 agencies who’ve rejected bloated group structures in favour of agility, collaboration, and actually putting clients first.
For anyone who reads any of my articles on LinkedIn over the past year you’ll know my tone around the value of human-centric connections, well, Pimento are massive testimony; they prove that human connection still drives business growth. Not (just) algorithms. Not (just) efficiency hacks. People.
We’re proud to be 5 star members. Proud to be part of a community that actually gives a shit about building sustainable, human-centred businesses. And proud of the team at Mostly Media who’ve made this happen.
If you’re an independent agency and you’re not part of Pimento yet, have that conversation. The network proves that the future belongs to the independents who remember that business is about people doing deals with people.
Thank you also to all the Pimento members whose ears I’ve bended over 2025, I look forward to far more in 2026.
Finally, massive thanks to the brilliant Pimento team, especially Isabelle Beauquin, David Morley, Stephen Knight, Theresa Kruger, Patrick Woods, Rachel White, Spencer Chritchley and Laura Umpleby
Credit: Alex Pilkington, Director of Growth