Guides

August 26, 2025

Seasonal TV Advertising Calendar: When to Run Campaigns for Maximum Impact

Timing strategies for holidays, events, and industry-specific peaks

Table of Contents

Timing matters as much as creative in TV advertising. Run your campaign at the right moment and your message lands with audiences ready to act. Run it at the wrong time and you're competing against noise or talking to people who aren't in buying mode.

This guide breaks down the TV advertising timing strategy by quarter, season, and industry. Use it to plan your annual campaigns and maximize every advertising dollar.

Q1: New Year, Fresh Starts (January-March)

January: The Resolution Window

New Year means new goals. Consumers are motivated to make changes.

• Hot categories: Fitness, health, education, home organization, financial services

• Timing tip: Launch January 2-15 to catch resolution momentum

• CPM note: Advertising costs drop significantly after the holidays. Great value.

• Caution: Avoid if you're retail. Post-holiday shoppers are fatigued.

February: Valentine's and Beyond

• Hot categories: Restaurants, flowers, gifts, jewelry, experiences

• Timing tip: Start Valentine's campaigns by February 1 (earlier for considered purchases)

• Sleeper opportunity: Tax prep services should be advertising heavily now

March: Spring Awakening

• Hot categories: Home services, landscaping, spring cleaning, real estate

• Timing tip: Start spring campaigns mid-February in warmer climates, early March elsewhere

• Event opportunity: March Madness brings massive TV viewership

Back to Table of Contents

Q2: Spring into Summer (April-June)

April: Tax Season and Spring Events

• Hot categories: Financial services (through April 15), outdoor living, home improvement

• Event opportunity: Easter/spring break travel

• Timing tip: Post-tax refund spending creates retail opportunity

May: Mother's Day and Memorial Day

• Hot categories: Restaurants, gifts, flowers, outdoor recreation, travel

• Timing tip: Mother's Day campaigns should start May 1

• CPM note: Costs rise around major gift-giving holidays

• Opportunity: Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer spending

June: Summer Launch

• Hot categories: Travel, outdoor activities, summer camps, home services

• Event opportunity: Father's Day (don't forget it), graduation season

• Timing tip: Summer campaign planning should start in May

Back to Table of Contents

Q3: Summer and Back-to-School (July-September)

July: Peak Summer

• Hot categories: Travel, outdoor recreation, summer events, local entertainment

• CPM note: Summer can offer value as some advertisers pull back

• Event opportunity: July 4th, summer blockbuster movie releases

• Timing tip: Independence Day campaigns end by July 3

August: Back-to-School Begins

• Hot categories: Education, school supplies, family restaurants, youth activities

• Timing tip: Back-to-school advertising should start mid-July

• Opportunity: Parents are in spending mode. Capture related purchases.

September: Fall Transition

• Hot categories: Fall activities, sports (NFL, college football), home services

• Timing tip: Labor Day weekend is the last summer push

• CPM note: Costs begin rising as Q4 approaches

Back to Table of Contents

Q4: The Big Push (October-December)

October: Halloween and Holiday Prep

• Hot categories: Seasonal retail, costumes, fall activities, early holiday shopping

• Timing tip: Halloween campaigns peak October 15-30

• Strategy note: Smart businesses start holiday awareness now

November: The Shopping Sprint

• Hot categories: Retail, e-commerce, gifts, travel (Thanksgiving)

• Key dates: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday

• CPM note: Highest costs of the year. Plan budgets accordingly.

• Timing tip: Start holiday campaigns by November 1 for awareness, intensify for shopping days

December: Holiday Climax and Year-End

• Hot categories: Gifts, restaurants, experiences, New Year's planning

• Timing tip: Gift campaigns should run through December 20 (shipping deadlines matter)

• Opportunity: December 26-31 is great for New Year's resolution businesses

• CPM note: Costs drop after Christmas. Late December offers value.

Back to Table of Contents

Industry-Specific TV Advertising Timing

Different industries have different optimal windows:

Restaurants:

• Peak: Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, prom season, graduation season

• Opportunity: Slow months (January, post-holiday) for loyalty building

• Always: Friday-Sunday viewing for weekend dining decisions

Retail:

• Peak: Holiday season (November-December), back-to-school

• Opportunity: Clearance seasons, new inventory launches

• Note: Budget heavily for Q4, but don't go dark other quarters

Home Services:

• Peak: Spring (March-May), fall maintenance season

• Opportunity: Winter for HVAC, indoor projects

• Timing: Start campaigns 4-6 weeks before peak season

Healthcare/Wellness:

• Peak: New Year (resolutions), open enrollment season, summer (cosmetic services)

• Opportunity: Year-round for routine services

• Note: Compliance considerations may affect timing

Real Estate:

• Peak: Spring/summer (moving season)

• Opportunity: Fall for motivated buyers, winter for investors

• Note: Local market conditions affect timing

Professional Services (Law, Finance, etc.):

• Tax prep: January-April

• Legal: Consistent year-round, but estate planning peaks around life events

• Financial: January (planning), tax season, Q4 (year-end)

Back to Table of Contents

Event-Based TV Advertising Opportunities

Major events create advertising moments:

Sports:

• Super Bowl (February): Massive viewership, premium costs

• March Madness (March): Extended high viewership, more affordable than Super Bowl

• NFL Season (September-February): Consistent weekly audience

• Olympics (varies): Broad demographics, high attention

Cultural Moments:

• Awards shows (Oscars, Grammys): Entertainment-focused audiences

• Election seasons: Higher news viewership, but cluttered ad environment

• Major streaming releases: Increased platform engagement

Local Events:

• Community festivals

• Local sports teams

• Regional celebrations

Adwave makes it easy to launch campaigns around specific events since you can start and pause campaigns flexibly.

Back to Table of Contents

Building Your Annual TV Calendar

Here's how to plan your year:

Step 1: Identify your peak and slow seasons. Look at last year's sales data. When do customers buy?

Step 2: Map campaigns to buying cycles. Start awareness campaigns 4-6 weeks before peak demand.

Step 3: Plan budget allocation. Weight spending toward high-opportunity periods, but maintain presence year-round.

Step 4: Create calendar blocks:

• Heavy periods: 2-3x normal budget

• Moderate periods: Normal budget

• Maintenance periods: 0.5x budget (but don't go dark)

Step 5: Build creative in advance. Create seasonal ad variations during quiet periods so you're ready when campaigns launch.

Back to Table of Contents

Budget Pacing Throughout the Year

A simple annual budget framework:

• Q1: 20% of annual budget (capitalize on low CPMs, resolution buyers)

• Q2: 25% of annual budget (spring activity, multiple holidays)

• Q3: 20% of annual budget (summer, back-to-school)

• Q4: 35% of annual budget (highest opportunity, highest costs)

Adjust based on your industry seasonality. A tax prep business might flip Q1 and Q4 allocations.

Back to Table of Contents

Ready to Plan Your TV Calendar?

Smart TV advertising timing turns good campaigns into great ones. Knowing when to push, when to maintain, and when to capitalize on opportunities makes every dollar work harder.

With Adwave, you get the flexibility to execute your seasonal strategy. Start at $50, pause anytime, scale up for peak periods. No long-term commitments. No rigid schedules.

Start planning your TV calendar and make every season count.