As the November 2024 general election quickly approaches, political advertisers representing campaigns at the national, state, and local levels are busy strategizing how to make the most of their budgets to deliver the most powerful and persuasive messages. Political ad spending for the 2023-2024 election cycle is projected to surpass $10.7 billion, leaving many advertisers wondering how to make their materials stand out.1
The unprecedented events of this presidential campaign season have voters from all backgrounds tuned in, meaning political advertisers can reach a large audience. And with 66% of registered voters and 62% of undecided voters learning about politics and current events from TV news, it’s never been more important to leverage multiscreen TV advertising to reach voters.2 But how do you find them?
While many factors contribute to successful political advertising, one of the most important is a savvy audience targeting strategy. It’s imperative that political advertisers don’t look at their messaging as “one size fits all” because in doing so they will miss out on valuable voter groups. Understanding voters’ backgrounds and how they view and engage with content will allow them to stand out among those audiences and could make the difference between earning a vote or not.
Minority populations represent increasingly growing voter segments – Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) voters, for example, cast nearly 4 million ballots in the 2020 general election — a 43% increase over 2016 – so advertisers must ensure their messaging reaches those audiences in a way that resonates.3
Understanding audiences, especially when it comes to voters of different demographics, is essential for political advertisers. Effectv’s deep knowledge of the political advertising landscape, combined with our access to insights from aggregated Comcast audience and viewership data, is an invaluable resource for advertisers looking to leverage multiscreen TV campaigns for success.
Jump to Voter Group
Black Voters
The Black population makes up a critical voting bloc, with Black eligible voters projected to grow by 7% in 2024 to 34.4 million.4 Reach Black voters via multiscreen TV advertising with these key insights:
• Comcast subscriber households (HHs) with Black residents spend 25% more time with TV than the average HH.5
• These HHs spend 68% of their viewing outside of primetime and are significantly more likely than average HHs to include sports fans.5
• Black voters have a higher likelihood of watching FAST than the general population, and six in 10 Black viewers say they watch content specifically geared to Black audiences.2
As with any subsection of the general population, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for reaching Black voters and potential voters. Political advertisers should understand the most important issues at the local level and tailor their messaging to address those issues. It’s crucial to understand this important voter group and how they engage with media and the content they spend the most time with. This will allow political advertisers to reach potential voters with the right message and the right time.
Download Effectv’s full Black voters report.
Latino Voters
The Latino eligible voter population is expected to grow 12% from 2020 to 2024.6 Reach Latino voters via multiscreen TV advertising by leveraging these key insights:
• Most Latino audiences are bilingual, with just 24% speaking only English or only Spanish and 53% of the population preferring to watch TV in English.7
• For content-based ad placements, video on demand has the greatest reach, with more than a quarter of Latino voters tuning in, followed by popular cable networks like Discovery, ESPN, and CNN.7
• 58% of Latino voters find political ads to be engaging and interesting rather than annoying.2
Latino voters make up a large and growing group that has the ability to impact election results. It’s crucial for political advertisers to understand the nuances within this group, such as the unique descent background of the population and to reach them with more tailored messaging at the community and local level.
Download Effectv’s full Latino voters report.
AANHPI Voters
The population of AANHPI eligible voters is projected to grow 15% to roughly 15 million compared to 2020.8 Reach AANHPI voters via multiscreen TV advertising with these key insights:
• AANHPI individuals spend an average of more than 27 hours per week with TV and video content, with a significantly higher portion of time spent with streaming content, compared to the general population.3
• 82% of AANHPI individuals subscribe to at least one streaming service, which is 14% higher than the total population.3
• CNN, TNT, and ESPN are the most popular networks by reach in AANHPI HHs.3
The AANHPI population makes up a continuously growing voter segment so it’s important that political advertisers understand their needs and concerns. Campaigns need to address the issues that matter most to particular voting segments – accounting for ancestry, geographic location, and other defining characteristics – and do it in a way that resonates with the local community.
Download Effectv’s full AANHPI voters report.
Women Voters
Of the more than 108 million women of voting age in the United States, around 89 million are registered to vote, making women the largest and most influential voting bloc in the country.9 Reach women voters via multiscreen TV advertising with these key insights:
• HHs with women voters spend over 6.5 hours per day watching television, with 89% of that live.9
• These HHs spend almost twice as much time with cable than with broadcast, and 66% of their viewing is outside of primetime.9
• 60% of women voters say information about the causes a candidate supports in a political ad could convince them to vote.2
Women play an integral role in every election and tend to vote in higher numbers than men in presidential elections. While there are nuances within this group, tailoring strategies and messages to appeal to women voters is essential.
Download Effectv’s full women voters report.
LGBTQ+ Voters
By 2030, LGBTQ+ identification among United States voters will likely increase from one in ten to one in seven, making this group one of the fastest-growing voter blocs.10 Reach LGBTQ+ voters via multiscreen TV advertising with these key insights:
• Nearly half of LGBTQ+ voters are under the age of 35, and viewers in that age range watch 17.5 hours of cable and broadcast TV per week.10
• About 85% of LBGTQ+ individuals say that they have used a video streaming service in the last 30 days, compared to 74% for non-LGBTQ+ viewers.10
• LGBTQ+ viewers are 30% more likely to watch a TV show if the creator identifies as LGBTQ+.10
The LGBTQ+ community represents a powerful voting bloc that is young, diverse, and growing. With this group having an increased political focus, it’s imperative for campaigns to consider their concerns. This group in particular values authenticity, inclusion, and representation, which are all critical factors in assuring a positive LGBTQ+ response for political advertisers.
Download Effectv’s full LGBTQ+ voters report.
For political advertisers, it’s never been more important to reach diverse voter demographics in ways that resonate with them in the spaces where they are already engaging with content. Download Effectv’s Ultimate Guide to Reaching Voters for key insights and recommendations on how to leverage multiscreen TV advertising for a winning political campaign.
Sources:
1. “US Political Ad Spending Forecast 2024.”, eMarketer, 23 Feb. 2024.
2. Kantar Consumer Survey of Political Viewpoints. N=1240 Registered Voters. 6/10/24 – 6/13/24.
3. “AANHPI Voters Report.”, Effectv, 2024.
4. “Key facts about Black eligible voters in 2024.”, Pew Research Center, 10 Jan. 2024.
5. “Black Voters Report.”, Effectv, 2023.
6. “Key facts about Hispanic eligible voters in 2024.”, Pew Research Center, 10 Jan. 2024.
7. “Latino Voters Report.”, Effectv, 2021.
8. “Key facts about Asian American eligible voters in 2024.”, Pew Research Center, 10 Jan. 2024.
9. “Women Voters Report.”, Effectv, 2023.
10. “LGBTQ+ Voters Report.”, Effectv, 2024.
