A television advertisement or television commercial–often just commercial or TV ad (US), or advert or ad (UK/US), or ad-film (India)–is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message. Advertisement revenue provides a significant portion of the funding for most privately owned television networks. The vast majority of television advertisements today consist of brief advertising spots, ranging in length from a few seconds to several minutes (as well as program-length infomercials). Advertisements of this sort have been used to sell every product imaginable over the years, from goods and services to political campaigns.

The effect of commercial advertisements upon the viewing public has been so successful and so pervasive that in some countries, the United States in particular, it is considered impossible for a politician to wage a successful election campaign without the purchase of television advertising. In other countries, such as France, political advertising in television is strictly restricted, and some, like Norway, even completely ban it.