The news: Return on ad spend (ROAS) for arts and entertainment climbed steadily through late Q3 2025, driven by early awards season demand and well ahead of Golden Globes and Oscars-driven Q1 peaks, according to our industry KPI data provided by Impact.

• Between July and September 2025, arts and entertainment ROAS increased 15% from $28.44 to $32.69. The same period in 2024 showed a similar trend, with ROAS increasing 17% from $24.23 to $28.40.
• The absolute ROAS premium in 2025 was stable at around $4 to $4.5 per $1 spent each month.
• Efficiency peaked in September for both years charted—indicating that late Q3 is a strong period for arts and entertainment advertising.

Behind the numbers: The figures indicate sustained demand, rather than one-off volatility, for major cultural events building up well before awards season kicks off. Advertising around tentpole moments like award ceremonies is critical for several reasons:

• Awards ceremonies like the Oscars deliver consistent reach. The Oscars was the most-watched awards show of the 2025 season, averaging 19.7 million viewers across ABC and Hulu, per Nielsen. Broad reach provides advertisers access to a large and diverse audience only rivaled by sports.
• The 2025 Oscars performed particularly well among younger demographics that are core audiences for many brands. Viewership among adults aged 18 to 34 increased 28% YoY, a post-pandemic high.
• Investing early provides access to those audiences beyond awards events. Advertisers also have a better chance of securing coveted spots, better sponsorship terms, and lower placement costs.
• For the Oscars and Golden Globes specifically, late-Q3 investment positions brands early in the awards season conversation, as buzz builds around new film releases and talent promotion ramps up ahead of Q1 ceremony peaks.

Implications for marketers: Performance fluctuates month to month, but consistent increases in ROAS indicates that advertisers can effectively capture high demand when investing months ahead of major cultural moments, when most conversations begin.

The Oscars specifically will offer advertisers a chance to capitalize on the shift to streaming: The event is aired on linear TV networks and live-streamed simultaneously, but will move exclusively to YouTube in 2029. The move will give advertisers access to audiences on the world’s largest media platform during one of the biggest-name annual events.