Best Practices for TV Advertising for Retail Brands

Retail marketing is all about discovery. Shoppers don’t always know what they’re looking for until they see it. New brands, new styles, and new products are often discovered passively - through inspiration, exposure, and repetition - not just active search.

That’s where TV advertising, and especially connected TV (CTV), plays a powerful role for retail brands.

Why TV Advertising Works for Retail Marketing

For retail brands, TV advertising isn’t just about reach. It’s about influencing how and when shoppers discover brands, and guiding them toward action.

1. Discovery Happens on the Biggest Screen

Many retail journeys start with inspiration, not intent. TV advertising places brands in front of viewers during high-attention moments, when they’re relaxed, engaged, and open to discovering something new.

CTV allows retail brands to spark interest before shoppers ever open a browser or walk into a store.

2. High-Intent Attention, Not Background Noise

CTV ads are full-screen and unskippable, making them more effective than cluttered social feeds or distracted mobile environments.

That attention supports:

• Stronger brand recall
• Greater interest in products and promotions
• Higher likelihood of follow-up actions like visiting a website or store

For retail brands, attention is often the first step toward conversion.

3. Influence Both Online and In-Store Shopping

Retail shopping isn’t linear. Shoppers move fluidly between screens, stores, and platforms.

TV advertising helps bridge that gap by driving:

• Online browsing and product research
• Branded search
• In-store visits

CTV supports the entire path to purchase, whether the final transaction happens online or offline.

4. Scale Without Losing Relevance

Retail brands need reach, but relevance matters just as much.

CTV allows advertisers to reach large audiences while still aligning messaging to shopping behaviors, categories, and moments that matter. It’s a way to grow awareness without sacrificing performance.

Best Practices for Retail TV Advertising

To get the most out of TV and CTV advertising, retail marketers should focus on strategies that support both discovery and conversion.

Get Discovered Before Shoppers Start Searching

Retail discovery often happens before intent. Many shoppers are actively open to finding new brands and deals, even when they aren’t searching.

In fact, 24% of Paramount Ads Manager audiences say they go out of their way to find new stores, and 50% say they’ll shop at stores they don’t normally visit to check out a sale. TV advertising puts retail brands in front of shoppers during high-attention moments, when discovery feels natural rather than forced.

That early exposure builds familiarity, making brands easier to recognize (and easier to choose) later in the buying journey.

Turn Attention Into Influence

Not all attention is equal. Where and when shoppers see your brand matters. Certain content environments attract more influential shoppers. For example:

• Paramount Ads Manager audiences who watch Thriller shows and movies are 31% more likely to be Shopping Category Influential Consumers
• Paramount Ads Manager audiences who watch Comedy shows and movies are 32% more likely to be Fashion and Clothing Super Influential Consumers

Running retail CTV ads alongside these genres helps brands reach viewers who are more likely to shape purchasing decisions, try new products, and influence others.

Turn Interest Into Action

Strong retail TV ads don’t stop at inspiration. They encourage viewers to take the next step, such as:

• Visiting your website
• Browsing a collection
• Checking out a promotion
• Finding a nearby store

Recognition lowers friction when shoppers are ready to buy.

Stay Visible Across Shopping Moments

Retail decisions don’t always happen in one sitting. Shoppers browse, compare, wait for promotions, and return when the timing is right.

Repeated exposure on TV helps brands stay top of mind throughout that process, increasing the likelihood that when shoppers are ready to buy, your brand feels familiar and easy to choose.

Consistency is what turns discovery into demand.

Measure What Matters

Retail TV success isn’t just about impressions. Leading marketers look at:

• Website traffic and product page views
• Branded search lift
• In-store and online conversions
• Sales influenced over time

CTV plays a role throughout the funnel, from discovery to purchase.

How Paramount Ads Manager Helps Retail Brands Advertise on TV

Paramount Ads Manager makes it easier for retail brands to use TV advertising as a measurable, performance-driven channel.

With Paramount Ads Manager, retail marketers can:

• Reach shoppers across premium Paramount streaming content
• Deliver unskippable 30-second ads designed for discovery and recall
• Drive both online and in-store engagement
• Measure real outcomes, including website visits and conversions

Paramount Ads Manager also helps you reach audiences that are actively engaged in shopping.

Across Paramount Ads Manager Peak Placement audiences:

• 58% shop around to take advantage of specials or bargains
• 50% say they’ll shop at stores they don’t normally visit to check out a sale
• 51% have visited a mall or shopping center in the past six months
• 84% have made a purchase via phone or mail in the past six months
• 53% have shopped both online and at department stores in the past six months

By combining premium reach, high-intent shopping audiences, and transparent measurement, Paramount Ads Manager helps retail brands turn binge time into buy time.

Ready to get your retail business on TV?

Retail discovery doesn’t start in a search bar. It starts with what shoppers see — and remember.

TV advertising helps retail brands get discovered, stay top of mind, and drive action across screens and stores.

Sign up today to see how Paramount Ads Manager helps retail brands advertise on TV, and make an impact on the biggest screen in the home.