Society

Once upon a time, the only ads you’d see on television were those from major, well-established companies. These days, however, any small business or startup can advertise on TV as well. If you know anything about TV advertising, you’re probably puzzled: TV airtime is an expensive commodity, so how can small businesses hope to afford it? The answer is simple: remnant TV ads. Remnant TV ads are ads placed during unsold airtime. Some airtime slots are harder for stations to sell than others, usually due to some combination of time slot and lack of advertiser interest: Since airtime is a perishable commodity – it expires and becomes worthless after a set period – stations would rather sell it off at a steep discount than let it go to waste. In short, remnant TV ads are win-win for both stations and advertisers: stations get to sell off their unsold inventory, and advertisers get TV airtime at a fraction of the usual cost. This said, TV advertising  isn't for everyone. I...