More than two-thirds of the top 100 advertisers in the US increased TV ad spend in the first half of 2025, according to Samba TV's State of Advertising report for the first half 2025.
The analysis shows brands shifting media investments to capture the attention of viewers rapidly adopting streaming, marked by a 46% surge in connected TV hours watched compared to a year ago.
Major brands such as T-Mobile and Starbucks leaned into targeted TV campaigns, while others such as Verizon and Dunkin pulled back TV spend to focus on digital, social and experiential programs.
"When 68% of the top advertisers are increasing their TV investment, it's a signal that brands aren't retreating; they're doubling down," said Ashwin Navin, CEO and co-founder of Samba TV.
"In uncertain times, you have two choices: lean in to grow market share, or play it safe and focus on engaging existing customers.
“Looking at the QSR industry, for example, Starbucks is trying to return to growth by reconnecting emotionally with consumers, from the coffee to the handwritten cup, while ramping up TV spend by 88%.
“Dunkin's is taking the opposite approach by pulling back on TV, down 66%, and leaning into a social-first strategy, serving up Sabrina Carpenter and deals to target a younger crowd."
The report found divergent advertising strategies emerged across sectors. T-Mobile increased spend by 34% and Starbucks by 88%, while Verizon reduced TV impressions by 37% and Dunkin's ad impressions were down 61%.
In the fast food sector, General Mills increased ad impressions by 46,471%, highlighting multiple brands together in a push to win value-conscious consumers as grocery costs take centre stage in household budgets.
Retail brands continued focusing on home and value, with Harbor Freight increasing advertising by 12 times and Amazon surging with a 24-times increase in spend, signalling that budget-conscious consumers are prioritising deals and discounts.
Among insurance companies, disruptors like Ethos ramped up spend by 837% with bold campaigns to seize market share, while legacy players like USAA boosted ad spend by 113%.
The automotive sector saw overall TV impressions down 8%, though Hyundai increased by 19% and its subsidiary Genesis by 71%. American manufacturers rallied behind an "America First" initiative, resulting in overall increases in ad spend.
Travel spend decreased by 4%, but Universal Orlando led with a 384% surge in TV advertising while Vrbo increased investment by 24%.
Nine of the top 10 pharmaceutical advertisers increased advertising in the first half of 2025, with Bosch + Lomb ramping up ads by 297%.
The analysis reveals a growing gap in ad delivery, with half of US households receiving 94% of all TV ads while the bottom 50% receive just 6%.
Households earning $200,000 or more are receiving 13% fewer ad impressions than their share of the population, highlighting a targeting gap among premium audiences.
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