Who’s Really Watching TV During the Day Anyways?
The Data Might Surprise You
Last week, during a media proposal call for a client, the client asked me something I hear constantly: “Who actually watches TV at 11 in the morning?”
Fair question. Most people assume daytime TV is just soap operas and infomercials reaching retired audiences and stay-at-home parents.
The reality? When we take a closer look at the data for Q1 2025, we’re missing 15+ million engaged adults in the A25-49 demo alone by lunch time.
Here’s what the German TV landscape actually looks like during the hours:
Linear TV consumption doesn’t disappear when the sun comes up. From 8 AM to 4 PM, viewing steadily climbs, with over 60% of the A25-49 audience reachable by early afternoon. That’s a massive, engaged audience that most brands completely ignore.
The problem? Everyone’s fighting for the same prime time inventory. You’re paying premium rates to compete with every other advertiser for viewers who nowadays have TV running as their second screen to their phones and tablets. Let that sink in!
If TV is going to be a second screen anyway, at least make it an affordable second screen that still delivers results.
Meanwhile, daytime offers something prime time can’t: high reach at high frequency for a fraction of the cost. You can build the same brand awareness that would cost you €800 per spot in the evening for €200 in the afternoon.
This isn’t about choosing daytime over prime time. It’s about being smarter with your media budget. Use efficient daytime slots to build your reach foundation, establish frequency, and create brand familiarity. Then layer in prime time strategically when you need maximum scale or are launching something big.
Linear TV works all day in Germany.
- The audience is there.
- They’re engaged.
- They’re responsive.
You just need to stop paying prime time prices to reach them.
