Key stat: Automakers' TV ad reach among 25- to 34-year-olds grew 12.38% YoY in June, the fastest of any age group, according to a June survey from Samba TV.

Beyond the chart:

• Automakers are reaching more viewers with less money. Their US TV ad spending fell 32% YoY in May and is down 22% year to date, according to iSpot.
• Meanwhile, CTV gives car brands a direct line to younger viewers. Automotive is the third-largest CTV ad spending category, behind retail and CPG, according to MediaRadar.

Use this chart: Drop this into your auto media plan review to show TV still reaches younger car buyers, even as category spend shrinks. Use it to push back when stakeholders call TV a boomer channel, and benchmark your own reach growth among 25- to 44-year-olds against these double-digit gains.

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• Digital Video Forecast and Trends Q2 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
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Methodology: Samba TV’s viewership data is derived by its proprietary Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology from tens of millions of voluntarily participating smart TVs. Integrated at the chipset level across 24 leading smart TV models sold in over 100 countries worldwide, Samba TV's ACR captures content displayed on the TV screen, regardless of source. Additionally, Samba TV analyzes this data to project household-level viewership, aligning with the US census across various age, gender, race/ethnicity, and household income. This ensures unbiased insights into US TV consumption.