Can I advertise on TV without a big budget?

Published:
June 23, 2026

You don’t need a massive budget or a production company to run ads on TV. With the right self-service platform, you can reach your right audience across premium content providers for as little as $100 dollars.  

With Comcast’s Universal Ads, small and medium sized advertisers can run ads across premium publishers without having to negotiate big contracts directly with individual networks or pick up the phone and buy via an IO.  

How much does it cost to advertise on TV?

There’s no single right answer, and it all depends on your goals. The key advantage is you only spend what you set. There’s no minimum commitment, no upfront contract and no agency fee eating into your budget.

Do I need a creative agency to make a TV ad?

You don’t need an on-staff creative team or big production budget to get your brand on TV. Launching a TV campaign is faster and more accessible than ever, even if you don’t already have a commercial.

Below are three simple ways to create a TV-ready ad using assets you likely already have.

For more details see our creative support page.

How do I target the right audience like I do on paid social?

Precise audience targeting allows you to choose from:  

  • Demographics – age, gender, household income
  • Geography – state, DMA or zip code
  • Viewership behaviors - viewers of specific content genres
  • Device type – desktop, mobile, tablet, TV
  • Upload your own customer lists to include or exclude from your campaign  

Avoid layering on too much targeting, which will narrow your audience and drive CPMs up. Stick to 1-2 targeting layers max, then based on real-time results optimize and refine as you go!  

What makes Universal Ads a good fit for brands of all sizes?

Universal Ads is Comcast’s self-serve ad-buying platform, built to make premium TV accessible to brands of any size.  

  • No sales rep required: Build, launch, and manage your campaign yourself. No sales rep or agency required. But, if you need a little support along the way were are here for you! Request a demo here to be connected to one of our client partners.  
  • Premium inventory: ads run alongside all professionally produced premium content on the biggest screen in the house
  • Real-time performance: see real-time reach, delivery and conversions with the Universal Ads Pixel and optimize instantly  
  • Flexible budget: set a daily or total campaign budget and pause or adjust at any time.  

Ready to start?  

Universal Ads makes it easy to build, launch and manage your TV ad campaigns. Get started today.