Marriage and TV advertising: on the surface, they appear to be two totally different things. In reality, however, marriage and TV advertising are a lot more alike than you might think! Both take trust and communication. You have to make sure that you seek out the right partner: one that shares your core values. As many as 77% of marriages, for example, are between people who share the same political affiliation. Equally important in many marriage relationships? Facets like religion or commitment to the community. In business partnerships, as in marriage, core values often come into play. Just how are marriages and TV advertising alike? Consider these elements.
They Take Time to Seek Out the Right Partner
Looking for the right TV advertising partner is, in many ways, like finding the right marriage partner. It takes time to do it right! Before you start advertising, you need to be able to answer the right questions about your plans and desires. You need to know your plans, your goals, and your target audience. Who are you advertising to? Where do they hang out? What channels do they watch? In the same way, before you start looking for a marriage partner, you need to know yourself.
Then, you need to know where your future partner stands. In a marriage partner, you might want to know what that partner enjoys doing with their free time or how they handle money. In a TV advertising partner, you might want to know who that partner advertises to, how they handle allocating an advertising budget, and what services they'll handle for you.
It takes time to find a partner that's a good fit. Choosing the right media partner might require doing some in-depth research or even contacting them to ask questions. You might not need to spend months or even years "dating" a media partner, but you will need to do some considerable research before deciding on the partner that's right for you. The time investment now can make a huge difference in your overall satisfaction in the relationship, so it's well worth putting in that effort. You wouldn't marry the first person who looked your way, and you shouldn't jump to the first media partner that comes your way, either.
They're Built-in Support Systems
Spouses support each other in many ways. You may support each other financially, physically, and emotionally. Likewise, a good TV advertising partner supports its clients. A top-level media partner will work closely with its clients, to evaluate goals and help produce the creative content needed for campaigns. Media partners also spend time evaluating the success of your campaigns and taking steps to improve them in the future. They provide a high level of expertise, including access to their data.
A well-run TV ad can produce between 300% and 500% ROI, at least in part because consumers often trust TV ads. An experienced TV advertising partner will help you achieve those goals--and, like a good spouse, support you through the process. 
They Offer a Different Perspective
Two heads are better than one in a marriage relationship, as well as a partnership with your media partner. A partner offers a different point of view that can help you understand things more fully and create better results. Organizations that incorporate diversity naturally see an increase in their overall results. In fact, highly diverse organizations usually see around 19% better innovation revenue.
Likewise, incorporating that diversity in your advertising, including adding in a media partner for that unique perspective, can help drive the results of your campaigns. You don't want a marriage partner who simply parrots your opinions without offering helpful advice and input along the way. Likewise, a media partner should offer helpful insight that will improve your overall success.
They're In It For the Long Haul
When you get married, you're in it for the long run. Likewise, when you enter into a long-term advertising contract, you will develop more trust and better communication, enhancing your relationship and improving your ability to get results together. In marriage, you'll feel closer to your partner and more comfortable listening to them over time. In a close partnership with your chosen media company, they'll improve their understanding of your advertising requirements as you deepen your trust in their advice.
Your media partnership, like your marriage, is a long-term relationship that can help grow your results and improve your successes. Through this partnership, you’ll be able to create ads that gain the trust of your customers and bring in results. Consider the success of gum ads: when they started showing people chewing two pieces at a time, sales of gum quickly doubled. These opportunities not only help you build trust with your customers, but they also build trust between you and your partner. Just like a marriage, TV advertising requires thoughtful consideration, work, and patience. With the right media partner, your TV advertising experience can be a successful one.
