Presidential Ad Spending in Ohio

 Data from

                                
     
Spending on Presidential Advertising in Ohio, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020      
Total $29.9 million

Summary: Ohio saw modest spending on presidential advertising over the six-month period, but nowhere near the level of the most competitive states.  The Trump campaign initially budgeted $18 million for TV advertising for the Fall in Ohio, and was ahead in spending to September. However, as the state was not very competitive and money was tight, it shifted spending to other states  and ultimately spent about $5 million on TV in Ohio.  The Biden campaign made a late push bolstered by spending by Mike Bloomberg's Independence USA PAC.  Overall Biden and allies outspent Trump and allies in Ohio by $17.5 million to $12.3 million.  An unusually high proportion of presidential ad spending in Ohio, 30.8%, went into digital, while the share on broadcast advertising was low, 49.9%.  To put total spending in context, dividing $29.9 million total ad spending by 18 electoral votes gives a figure of $1.66 million per electoral vote; Biden and allies spent $970,147 and Trump and allies $682,782 per electoral vote.  Dividing by 5,922,202 votes tallied in the presidential race in Ohio gives a figure of $5.05 per vote; Biden and allies spent $6.52 per Biden vote and Trump and allies spent $3.90 per Trump vote.

These data cover spending on advertising on electronic media (broadcast, cable, radio, digital and satellite) but do not include other types of paid media such as billboards, print advertising and persuasion mail.
Data on this page do not show "independent" ads which account for a tiny amount of spending (less than 0.1%).  "Independent" ads includes ads from third party presidential candidates and other small mostly digital buys from various groups.
Also note that groups such as The Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump, although organized by Republicans and thus nominally Republican, are included under Democrat (Biden/Allies) spending since their purpose was to attack Trump.

_________________________
 
Presidential Ad Spending by Month, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020

_________________________
Presidential Ad Spending by Advertiser Type, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020

 Biden and Allies
 Trump and Allies
Candidate
 		$8,669,031
 $7,440,260
Coordinated
 		$2,075,041
 $3,293,099
Interest Group
 $6,718,571
 $1,556,722
Total
 		$17,462,643
 		$12,290,081


_________________________
Top Presidential Ad Spending Groups, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020
Supporting Biden  $6.7m

Supporting Trump  $1.6m
Independence USA PAC
 		 $4,170,530
Americans for Limited Government
 		$1,288,167
The Lincoln Project
 		$1,573,595




_________________________


Presidential Ad Spending by Media Type, May 1-Nov. 3, 2020
Biden/Allies $17,462,643

Candidate
 Coordinated
 Interest Group
Broadcast
 		$5,155,103
 -
 $4,361,535
Cable
 		$1,714,981
 -
 $1,559,495
Radio
 		$438,187
 -
 $22,905
Digital
 		$533,789
 $2,075,041
 $774,636
Satellite
 		$826,971
 -
 -
Total
 $8,669,031
 $2,075,041
 $6,718,571



Trump/Allies $12,290,081

Candidate
 		Coordinated
 		Interest Group
Broadcast
 		$4,721,838
 -
 $565,019
Cable
 		$300,023
 -
 $898,280
Radio
 		-
 -
 $39,950
Digital
 		$2,418,399
 $3,293,099
 $53,472
Satellite
 		-
 -
 -
Total
 $7,440,260
 $3,293,099
 $44,504,170


Of $29.9 million presidential ad spending in Ohio, $14.8 million (49.5%) was on broadcast, $4.5 million (15.0%) on cable, $9.1 million (30.6%) on digital, $501,042 (1.7%) on radio and $826,971  (2.8%) on satellite.  As noted above, these data do not include other types of paid media such as billboards, print advertising and persuasion mail.


See:
Press release from Mike Bloomberg's Independence USA PAC.

Alexander Burns.  "Bloomberg Funds Last-Minute Advertising Blitz for Biden in Texas and Ohio."  New York Times, Oct. 27, 2020.

Karen Kasler.  "Ohio Presidential TV Ad Spending Changing In Final Days Before Election."  WOSU, Oct. 21, 2020. 

Seth A. Richardson.  "Joe Biden on track to outspend Donald Trump on advertising in Ohio."  cleveland.com, Oct. 20, 2020.

Kirk Baird.  "Biden dominating ad buys on local stations."  Toledo Blade, Oct. 9, 2020.

Julie Carr-Smith and Thomas Beaumont.  "Biden makes ad push into rural Ohio as early voting begins.  AP, Oct. 6, 2020.

Darrel Rowland.  "Ohio now rated a 'toss-up' state as both campaigns schedule major TV ad purchases."  Columbus Dispatch, Oct. 1, 2020.

Darrel Rowland.  "Battle for Ohio; Trump is making visits, Biden is running ads; which wins more votes."  Akron Beacon Journal, Sept. 21, 2020.

Staff.  "Biden opens election front in Ohio with new ad push."  Reuters, July 30, 2020.

Seth A Richardson.   "Trump campaign makes hefty $18 million fall TV ad buy in Ohio."  cleveland.com, June 30, 2020.


page corrected Mar. 25, 2021