Key Takeaways
- Political ad spending is projected to hit between $10.4 billion and $11.8 billion during the 2026 election cycle.
- Response rates often drop during heavy political advertising periods.
- Marketing costs rise because of overcrowded media channels.
- Smart marketers suppress or shift campaigns during key battleground periods.
- CTV/streaming is exploding as a political advertising weapon.
- Many marketers are overlooking direct mail, podcasts, geofencing, and multichannel integration.
- Those who adapt can lower costs and increase ROI while competitors waste money.
WARNING
Your response rates are already falling.
Your digital costs are already rising.
And many marketers don’t even realize why.
The reason?
Political advertising.
Right now, primary elections are flooding media channels with billions of dollars in spending.
That impacts almost every marketer in America.
Not just political campaigns.
Commercial advertisers too.
In past issues of Direct Marketing Update, we warned subscribers to strategically adjust media spending during political cycles.
Those who followed those recommendations:
- Reduced wasted ad spend
- Improved response rates
- Lowered acquisition costs
- Avoided cluttered battleground markets
- Increased ROI
Those who ignored the warning suffered:
● Lower response rates
● Higher media costs
● Audience fatigue
● Digital overcrowding
● Massive distractions from nonstop political advertising
And now it’s getting even bigger.
Reality #1: Political Spending Is Exploding
According to the KINETIQ Political Insights Project, total U.S. political media spending during the 2026 election cycle is projected to reach:
- $10.4 billion
- Some analysts believe it could climb as high as $11.8 billion
That is a staggering amount of media saturation.
And it affects:
- TV
- CTV/streaming
- Digital
- Radio
- Cable
- Social media
- Programmatic
- YouTube
- Mobile
- Email deliverability
- Audience attention spans
This is not just a political issue.
It’s a business marketing issue impacting cost, inventory and clutter.
Reality #2: Some States Become Marketing War Zones
Political spending is heavily concentrated in a handful of battleground states.
Including:
- Michigan
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Arizona
- Nevada
Some states experience intense primary battles.
Others experience brutal general election spending.
California, for example, often sees major primary clutter even when the general election could be less competitive.
Michigan alone is projected to top:
$1 billion
That’s up dramatically from roughly $67 million in 2022.
Georgia could approach $900 million.
That hurts marketers trying to compete for attention in those states.
Every political impression drives up cost and clutter.
Every political buy increases competition.
Every attack ad creates distraction and fatigue.
Reality #3: CTV/Streaming Is Becoming a Political Monster
The biggest surprise?
Connected TV.
Streaming.
CTV.
Political strategists now understand they can target voters with extraordinary precision.
The KINETIQ projections show:
Broadcast TV
- $4.88 billion
- 2% share
- Up 9% from 2022
- Down 13% from 2024
CTV / Streaming
- $2.7 billion
- 7% share
- Up a staggering 122% from 2022
- Up 7% from 2024
That is one of the biggest media shifts happening today.
Political advertisers are rapidly shifting money into:
- Hulu
- YouTube TV
- Roku
- Streaming apps
- FAST channels
- Smart TVs
- Video-on-demand inventory
Why?
Because CTV combines:
- Television impact
- Digital targeting
- Household precision
- Retargeting capabilities
- Measurable ROI
And business marketers are competing directly against that flood of spending.
Reality #4: Many Marketers Are Ignoring Overlooked Media Opportunities
One thing immediately stood out in the KINETIQ data.
Several powerful direct-response channels were either lightly referenced — or missing entirely.
Including:
- Direct mail
- Podcast advertising
- Geofencing
- Mobile ID retargeting
- Multichannel integration
- Postal-to-digital retargeting
- Email/database sequencing
That does NOT mean those channels are insignificant.
In fact…
Often the opposite is true.
For example, direct mail…
When digital becomes overcrowded…
Direct mail can break through.
Especially when integrated with:
- digital retargeting
- landing pages
- CTV
- SMS
- AI-based audience targeting
We have repeatedly seen multichannel campaigns outperform single-channel campaigns dramatically – an average of 87%.
And there is podcast advertising.
Podcast audiences are loyal.
Engaged.
And highly targeted.
Political advertisers are increasingly using podcasts because host-read advertising often feels trusted and personal.
That same opportunity exists for commercial marketers.
Geofencing & Mobile ID Retargeting
This remains one of the most overlooked tools in marketing.
Especially time-based geofencing.
Capture mobile IDs from:
- conferences
- churches
- retail locations
- trade shows
- political rallies
- competitor locations
Then retarget those audiences later across digital channels.
This can dramatically reduce wasted ad spend.
What Smart Marketers Should Do Right Now
Here are 3 things marketers should do right now:
- Suppress Heavy Spending During Key Political Windows
Avoid major battleground states during peak election periods whenever possible.
Especially:
- 2–6 weeks before major primaries
- 4–8 weeks before general elections
Your response often drops while costs rise.
2. Shift Budgets Geographically
Move dollars into:
- non-battleground states
- overlooked markets
- secondary inventory
- niche targeting opportunities
Sometimes the best strategy is simply avoiding the chaos.
3. Increase Multichannel Integration
When digital channels become overcrowded…
Integrated campaigns often perform better.
Examples:
- Direct mail + digital retargeting
- CTV + email
- Podcast + landing page
- SMS + postal
- Geofencing + YouTube
- AI-modeled audiences + direct mail
The Bottom Line
Political advertising isn’t just influencing elections.
It’s influencing YOUR marketing results.
The companies that understand these shifts early can:
- lower costs
- improve response
- avoid wasted spending
- outmaneuver competitors
- increase ROI
The companies that ignore these realities may continue paying more…
For worse results.
Action:
If you would like help adjusting your media strategy during this political advertising cycle…
Or if you want to explore:
- multichannel marketing
- direct mail integration
- CTV strategies
- podcast advertising
- geofencing
- AI audience targeting
- response optimization
Call Michael at Creative Direct Marketing Group at 615-933-4647 or email him at [email protected].
CDMG has helped clients navigate changing media environments for decades using accountable, measurable direct-response marketing strategies.
With more than 10,000+ variables tested and over 124 marketing awards, the agency focuses on one thing:
Results.
The second it goes live.
FAQs:
Q: Why are marketing costs increasing during election cycles?
A: Political advertisers flood media channels, creating more competition and driving up advertising costs.
Q: How does political advertising affect business marketers?
A: Heavy political spending can reduce response rates, increase audience fatigue, and overcrowd digital platforms.
Q: Why is CTV becoming so important in political advertising?
A: CTV allows campaigns to combine television reach with digital targeting and measurable ROI.
Q: What marketing channels are being overlooked right now?
A: Many marketers are underusing direct mail, podcasts, geofencing, and multichannel campaigns.
Q: What can businesses do to improve ROI during political advertising seasons?
A: Smart marketers can shift budgets, avoid battleground states, and integrate multiple marketing channels.
About Craig Huey:
Craig Huey is President of Creative Direct Marketing Group (CDMGinc.com), a 30-year leader in direct response advertising and multi-channel marketing. Under his leadership, CDMG has:
- Tested more than 10,000 digital marketing variables.
- Mailed over 10 million pieces of direct mail in the last year alone.
- Won more than 120 awards for marketing excellence.
Craig is also the publisher of Direct Marketing Update, the trusted newsletter for company presidents and marketing directors looking to maximize ROI with cutting-edge, accountable advertising strategies.
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