AI TV Ads for UK Startups: A Practical Playbook

January is when a lot of UK consumer brands feel the same pressure: you’ve got a decent product, early traction, and a marketing plan that’s… mostly paid social and email. Then you look at the brands people actually remember, and a pattern jumps out. They show up everywhere—including TV.

Freja Bone Broth’s decision to launch on TV using an AI-made advert (and to do it as the founding client of a new agency, Scary Robots) is a useful case study for the “AI Tools for UK Small Business” series. Not because every startup should rush to broadcast TV, but because it highlights a smarter point: AI is making “big brand” creative production accessible enough that smaller companies can test channels that used to be out of reach.

This post breaks down what UK startups and scaleups can learn from an AI TV launch, how to judge if it’s right for you, and how to use AI tools to lower cost, increase speed, and improve the odds that your campaign actually drives leads and revenue.

What Freja’s AI TV launch signals for UK startups

Answer first: An AI-led TV launch signals that the cost and speed barriers to premium video creative are falling—and that “brand building” channels are becoming testable for startups.

Historically, TV was a walled garden for smaller brands: high production budgets, slow timelines, and a buying model that rewarded scale. That’s been changing for years thanks to connected TV and self-serve platforms, but creative production remained the painful part. If you couldn’t afford a proper shoot, you often ended up with an ad that looked cheap—and TV is ruthless about cheap.

AI changes that equation in two ways:

1. You can create more options, faster. Instead of producing one “hero” ad and praying it works, you can generate multiple routes, hooks, and edits quickly.
2. You can iterate based on performance signals. TV used to be a one-way broadcast. With addressable and connected TV placements, you can run TV more like a performance channel—especially when you pair it with site analytics, branded search tracking, and regional lift tests.

Freja’s move also hints at a broader reality for 2026: AI isn’t just a content tool, it’s a go-to-market tool. Done well, it compresses the time between “we have something worth selling” and “we look like we belong on the shelf next to incumbents.”

The part people miss: TV is often a search and trust engine

A lot of startups judge TV like it’s meant to drive immediate sales. Sometimes it does, but the more reliable effect is upstream:

• spikes in branded search
• better performance in retargeting and paid social (because people recognise you)
• improved conversion rate on site (trust)
• higher acceptance rates with retail buyers and partners (credibility)

That’s why an “awareness channel” can still be a lead generation play—if you build the measurement and funnel around it.

When TV makes sense (and when it’s a trap)

Answer first: TV makes sense when you can capture demand it creates—if your tracking, landing pages, and follow-up are tight. It’s a trap when you treat it as a vanity milestone.

Before you even think about scripts or AI storyboards, sanity-check your readiness. Here’s my blunt rule: if your website can’t convert cold traffic reliably, TV will just help more people bounce faster.

A quick readiness checklist for startups and scaleups

You’re in a decent place to test TV (broadcast or connected) if:

• You have a clear, repeatable offer (subscription, bundle, starter pack, consultation)
• Your landing page converts at a baseline level (even 1.5–3% can be workable)
• You can handle demand spikes (stock, customer service, delivery)
• You can measure branded search lift, direct traffic, and conversion rate by region/time
• You’ve already found a message that works in shorter formats (TikTok/Reels/YouTube)

You should pause if:

• Your positioning is still fuzzy (“for everyone”)
• Your margin can’t tolerate experimentation
• Your product needs heavy education but your funnel is thin
• You don’t have the budget to run long enough to see an effect (TV needs repetition)

A useful stance: don’t buy TV to “look big.” Buy TV when you’re ready to be remembered.

Connected TV vs broadcast TV (practical difference)

For many UK small businesses, connected TV (CTV) is the more realistic entry point because it’s closer to digital buying and targeting.

• Broadcast TV: broad reach, strong prestige, often better for mass brands—but can be less forgiving on budgets and measurement.
• CTV/Addressable: better targeting, easier testing, often lower minimums, more flexible creative rotations.

The lesson from Freja isn’t “TV is back.” It’s “premium video inventory is now testable if your creative cost is controlled.”

How to use AI tools to build a TV-ready ad without looking cheap

Answer first: Use AI for speed and iteration, then apply human taste and brand guardrails to avoid uncanny visuals and compliance issues.

AI video can go wrong fast—off-brand faces, odd movement, questionable claims, or a look that signals “generated” in the worst way. The brands that win treat AI like a production system, not a magic wand.

A workable AI-assisted production workflow

1. Messaging first (no AI yet):

   • One core promise (what changes for the customer)
   • One proof point (why believe you)
   • One call-to-action (what to do next)

2. Script and storyboard with AI:

   • Generate 10 hooks, pick 2–3 that fit your voice
   • Produce a storyboard for each route
   • Stress-test clarity: can someone understand it with the sound off?

1. Generate multiple edits, not one “perfect” ad:

   • 30s (story)
   • 15s (benefit + proof)
   • 6s bumpers (name + CTA)

2. Add “human polish” where it matters:

   • Real product shots (even phone-shot but well lit)
   • Brand fonts/colours used consistently
   • Sound design and voiceover that feels intentional

3. Legal and compliance check:

   • Avoid health claims you can’t substantiate (common in food/wellness)
   • Ensure disclaimers are readable (if needed)

What makes an AI ad feel premium

Premium isn’t about flashy visuals. It’s about restraint and clarity.

• One idea per ad. Don’t cram features.
• Fewer scenes, longer holds. AI “busy” edits look suspicious.
• Real-world anchors. A real kitchen, real hands, real packaging.
• Consistent lighting and colour. Random shifts are a giveaway.

If you’re a startup, you don’t need cinematic. You need believable.

The measurement plan that turns “awareness” into leads

Answer first: To generate leads from TV, you need a dedicated response path—unique landing pages, tracked lift metrics, and a follow-up sequence that assumes the viewer is curious but not yet convinced.

Most teams run TV and then stare at overall revenue like it’s a stock chart. That’s how you end up calling it “unmeasurable.” It’s measurable—you just need the right signals.

A simple tracking setup that works

• A TV-specific landing page (clean URL, fast load, single CTA)
• A TV-specific offer (not a massive discount—think bundle, trial, or value add)
• Time-based attribution window: measure what happens during and after spots
• Branded search monitoring: track query volume changes around flight dates
• Geo lift testing (if possible): run heavier in one region vs another and compare

Lead-gen examples that fit TV:

• “Get the starter pack” with email capture
• “Book a tasting / consult” for higher-ticket products/services
• “Join the waitlist” for launches and limited runs
• “Get the recipe pack / guide” as a top-of-funnel magnet

The follow-up sequence matters more than the ad

TV creates curiosity. Your job is to convert it.

A strong lead nurture sequence (email + SMS if appropriate) should:

1. restate the core promise in plain language
2. show proof (reviews, press, sourcing, guarantees)
3. handle the top objections
4. make the next step easy (buy, book, refer)

If you’re in the UK startup world, this is where AI tools shine: you can draft sequences, personalise by intent, and test variations quickly—without turning your marketing team into a copy factory.

A startup-friendly playbook: run TV like a controlled experiment

Answer first: Treat TV as a testable channel: narrow hypothesis, tight creative variants, controlled spend, and clear success metrics.

Here’s a practical way to approach an “AI TV ad” launch without betting the company.

Step 1: Write a hypothesis you can actually test

Bad: “TV will increase awareness.”

Good: “Running a 2-week CTV flight with two creative variants will increase branded search by 20% and improve paid social CAC by 10% in exposed regions.”

Step 2: Start with two creatives, not five

AI makes it tempting to generate endless versions. Don’t. Pick two distinct angles:

• Angle A: problem/solution (pain → product → outcome)
• Angle B: proof-led (what it is → why it’s different → trust signals)

Step 3: Build the funnel like you expect scepticism

Viewers aren’t waiting to be convinced; they’re busy. Your landing page should:

• show the product in the first screen
• state the promise in one sentence
• give proof immediately (ratings, testimonials, sourcing)
• remove friction (delivery info, returns, FAQs)

Step 4: Decide your “green light” metrics upfront

Pick a few, and commit to them:

• branded search lift
• landing page conversion rate
• email capture rate
• assisted conversion rate (view-through window)
• paid social efficiency changes during the flight

TV is expensive when you improvise. It’s manageable when you run it like science.

People also ask: quick answers for UK founders

Is an AI-made TV ad acceptable for UK audiences? Yes—if it looks intentional and your message is clear. Audiences don’t punish AI; they punish ads that feel fake or confusing.

Do small businesses need broadcast TV to benefit from TV ads? No. Many UK small businesses start with connected TV to test creative and targeting with lower commitments.

What’s the biggest risk with AI advertising? Brand damage from low-quality output or unsubstantiated claims. Put guardrails around visuals, tone, and compliance.

Where this fits in the “AI Tools for UK Small Business” series

This case study sits in a bigger pattern we’re tracking across the series: AI is pushing marketing “upmarket.” UK small businesses can now produce assets and run experiments that used to be reserved for companies with agencies, studios, and big media budgets.

Freja Bone Broth’s AI TV launch is a reminder that the channel isn’t the strategy. The strategy is: create memory, then capture demand. AI just makes the “create memory” part faster and more affordable.

If you’re considering an AI-driven TV ad, start small, measure properly, and keep a human hand on taste and truth. Then ask yourself the question that decides whether TV will work for you:

When people see your ad and search your brand five minutes later—will what they find make them take the next step?