New analysis of over £100 million in UK TV investment shows that expanding the definition of TV to include SVOD, CTV and YouTube produces the same headline finding as Profit Ability 2, confirming that the TV viewing experience drives profit regardless of how content is bought or consumed
Ebiquity, the independent authority in marketing effectiveness, and ISBA, the trade body representing British advertisers, have today published research showing that Total TV generated 54% of all media-driven profit for the brands studied. The analysis covered over £100 million of UK TV investment across 13 brands over a 12-month period.
Total TV: From Evolution to Effectiveness can be downloaded in full here.
The headline figure carries an important context. Prior industry research, Profit Ability 2, defined TV as Linear and BVOD and arrived at 54%. This study expanded that definition to include SVOD, CTV and YouTube for the first time, and reached the same 54%. That consistency across a fundamentally broader definition is the finding. TV’s profit-generating power has remained structurally stable even as the ecosystem around it restructured.
Within that ecosystem, Linear TV delivered 57% of TV-generated profit from 54% of spend, confirming its continued role as the volume engine of any TV plan. Non-linear formats collectively account for 43% of TV-generated profit, with each playing a distinct role.
BVOD balances meaningful scale with strong returns, contributing 21% of Total TV profit from 15% of campaign impressions. SVOD delivers the highest quality signal in the ecosystem — the strongest uplift per thousand impressions of any format — though its scale remains limited compared to Linear TV. YouTube generates a 10% profit contribution, with 67% of its impressions delivered on a TV set.
The data makes a clear case for treating Total TV as a single integrated ecosystem rather than a collection of separately managed channels. Profit follows the TV viewing experience, not the buying route. Brands that plan and measure Total TV as one interconnected system are best placed to capture that return.
The full findings, including a detailed breakdown of how each component of the Total TV ecosystem performs and a practical framework for evaluating new formats and providers, are available in ISBA and Ebiquity’s paper on Total TV: From Evolution to Effectiveness.
Michelle Morgado, Managing Director UK & Ireland, Ebiquity, said:
“This analysis should give marketers real confidence in the value of television as a profitable, effective marketing channel, but it should also change how brands think about it. TV is no longer one format bought one way; it is an ecosystem, and it needs to be planned, bought and measured as one. Brands that get this right will continue to see TV deliver the kind of commercial returns few other channels can match.”
Bobi Carley, Director of Advertising and Media Relations, ISBA, said:
“Too much of the industry’s time has been spent on the ‘what is TV?’ narrative. That's not the question advertisers are asking. Brands want to know how today’s TV ecosystem delivers business results and where they should invest for growth. This research moves the conversation forward, providing independent evidence that helps marketers understand the role different TV environments play in driving effectiveness, profitability and long-term brand growth.”
James Filkin, Media Director at P&G and Chair of ISBA’s TV & Video Steering Group, said:
“We welcome independent research that contributes to the industry’s understanding of media effectiveness. Alongside advertisers’ own data and circumstances, studies like this can help inform media investment decisions with greater confidence.”