Syndicators Boast About Shorter Commercial Breaks

Higher recall and engagement in 60-second pods

By Jon Lafayette -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/16/2013 12:54:03 PM

With NATPE around the corner and the upfront market down the road, the Syndicated Network Television Association has new numbers to bolster its pitch that its short commercial breaks make it a good buy for advertisers.

According to the SNTA's annual member survey, breaks in syndicated shows average just two minutes and 27 seconds in length, making them 30% shorter than commercial pods on the broadcast and cable networks during primetime.

The SNTA adds that the exclusively national pod in syndicated shows average 1:31 in length and that in 16 syndicated shows, 60 pods are available.

The shorter pods lead to higher effectiveness. According to the SNTA, advertising in pods containing between one and three commercials have unaided recall that's 57% above the average for all commercials. By contrast, spots in pods with 10 or more commercials have recall that's 21% below average.

SNTA says the 60-second pods score 21% higher than average in ad engagement, 31% higher in add attention, 61% higher in ad likeability and 250% higher in unaided recall.

Shorter pods all mean that commercials in syndicated shows have a better chance of airing in the coveted first position in a break -- the A position -- and of airing in the first minute of that break, when ratings are highest.