Political Ads Are Here. Is Your Media Plan Ready?
Election Day is still several weeks off, but political advertising season has arrived.
Political advertising affects the cost, availability and delivery of media for just about every advertiser. You may be seeing it firsthand with your local television schedules. Spots are getting preempted as political advertisers compete for available inventory. And as we get closer to November, that competition is only going to increase. The good news? Knowing what’s coming gives brands an opportunity to plan around it.
Why Are My TV Spots Getting Bumped?
Political campaigns love television, and they spend a lot of money on it. More than $10 billion in political advertising is projected to be spent during the 2026 midterm cycle, with broadcast television expected to receive the largest share. And the flood of political dollars is already underway. That creates a crowded marketplace.
As demand increases, commercial advertisers buying preemptible inventory can find their spots displaced. That doesn’t mean television becomes a bad investment. It means advertisers need to pay closer attention to what is actually delivering.
Have More Creative in Your Tool Belt
Having more creative options gives advertisers more ways to stay on the air. We’re already seeing that play out locally. Some stations aren’t currently selling :05- or :10-second spots to political advertisers, while the more traditional :15- and :30-second inventory is becoming increasingly crowded. For brands with shorter spots ready to go, that can create another opportunity to stay on the schedule.
That doesn’t mean squeezing a :30-second message into 10 seconds. Shorter creative has a different job. It can reinforce a promotion, deliver a quick brand message or simply help maintain visibility when other inventory is harder to come by.
The Competition Isn’t Just on Broadcast TV
Moving everything from traditional television to streaming isn’t necessarily a magic solution, either. Political campaigns have followed audiences into connected TV. CTV political spending is projected to approach $2.5 billion during the 2026 election cycle, significantly higher than during the 2022 midterms. That means political advertisers are increasingly competing for many of the same streaming audiences and premium video environments as commercial brands.
Don’t Go Dark. Stay Flexible.
The answer isn’t necessarily to pull your advertising until November 4. Instead, brands should head into the heart of political season knowing their original media plan may need to change. A few things advertisers should be doing now:
- Monitor TV schedules closely.
- Understand what’s being preempted and what’s actually delivering.
- Have different creative lengths available.
- Be prepared to shift dollars when another channel can accomplish the same objective more effectively.
Political Season Requires Active Media Management
A media plan should never be something you build, launch and forget about. And it absolutely can’t be during political season. The brands best positioned to navigate the next several weeks won’t necessarily be the ones that spend more. They’ll be the ones paying attention, staying flexible and adjusting when the marketplace gives them a reason to.