The news: US automotive TV advertising is on the downswing as rising costs squeeze the auto industry. TV spend fell 32% YoY in May, dropping $50.4 million, per iSpot data reported by Mediapost.

Other metrics were also dire:

• Year-to-date spending is down 22%, slipping beneath $1 billion.
• Household TV ad impressions fell 11% YoY and 17% year-to-date.

NBA games made up 31% of auto spend in May, overlapping with the NBA playoffs and reflecting a clear focus on sports inventory, but NBA ad impressions fell 32% YoY.

Other sports leagues, however, drove significant impression growth: WNBA impressions jumped 233% YoY, followed by PGA Tour Golf at 125%.

Zooming out: Once a stalwart of TV advertising, economic pressures on the auto market have led to less spending on TV, prioritizing the highest-viewership inventory.

The auto industry has faced headwinds since 2025. US automakers spent heavily on transitioning to electric vehicles, but high costs, tariff pressures, and the electric vehicle tax credit reversal upended those plans, leading to billions in losses and a shift toward hybrid vehicles.

Auto industry revenues held up in 2025 as consumers rushed to make purchases before tariffs kicked in—but 2026 may tell different story.

• In Q1 2021, the number of new auto loans with monthly payments over $1,000 was just 5.4%, per Cox Automotive. This year, it was 19%, and the majority were tied to non-luxury models—signaling pressure on lower-income consumers.
• More workers are tapping retirement accounts as a financial safety net, per Vanguard research, and the cost of gasoline has surged past $5.80 per gallon in some states, making car purchases harder to justify.