The longevity of TV advertising plays a big part in its ability to make a big difference to campaign results. In advertising, recall is only half of the battle. For an advert to be effective it needs to have a lasting impact on the target audience. It’s not enough for consumers to simply remember an ad, a lasting intention to act can transform a campaign and the fortunes of a brand.
As media experts, it’s our business to know what media genuinely keeps working and which ones are only fleetingly effective.
All impressions are not created equal. A landmark study produced by Tapestry Research revealed a startling longevity gap between media channels. It showed that TV advertising sustains purchase intent longer than any other medium, that social media activity decays fastest (even in under 35s) and VOD uniquely endures, even for younger audiences.
What’s more, it proved what we’ve known for years, that TV isn’t just strong in its own right. When used as part of a multi-platform campaign, TV slows the decay of every other channel in the media mix to make every channel more effective.
In a nutshell, TV advertising has power and longevity that other media struggle to match. The intimate in-home viewing environment, big screens, emotional resonance and shared, multi-generational experiences work together to fundamentally strengthen memory, build trust and increase purchase intent.
And now for the stats…
- TV’s impact on purchase intent drops only 14% over eight
weeks – the lowest decay of any medium. - Social Media decays fastest, with a 26% fall. Audio declines
16%, Print (physical) 17%, OOH 19%, Online Video (mainly
YouTube) 24%, and Other Online (search, display, etc.) 15%.
Under-35s are harder to keep influencing - Among 18–34s, purchase intent drops 29% over eight
weeks vs. 16% for ages 35–75. - Decay is steepest for this group in online video (36%)
and social (42%). - VOD delivers the strongest sustained effects for
under-35s, with a decay 17% less severe than average.
TV’s shared experience makes a lasting difference - TV works harder because it’s usually watched on
a big screen, in the living room, with other people. - Shared viewing slows decline: 48% lower decay when
exposed to TV ads with others (vs. watching alone). - Ads are liked 75% more when watched with others
Source: Thinkbox 2025
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