After the holidays, a lot of marketing budgets go quiet. Plans get reset, teams regroup and campaigns wait for spring.

Meanwhile, audiences keep watching, and the first quarter of 2027 is packed with moments that deserve a plan. The advertisers who show up early often have the field to themselves.

01 | January Starts With Live Football

The year opens with the College Football Playoff. The quarterfinal on New Year's Day at 4 p.m. airs on ABC, followed by a semifinal at the Sugar Bowl on January 15 and the national championship on Monday, January 25.

Then comes the biggest one of all. Super Bowl LXI airs on ABC on February 14, the first Super Bowl on the network since 2006.

For Pittsburgh advertisers, that's two months of premium live sports on WTAE.

02 | Healthcare Decisions Don't Stop in December

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs from January 1 through March 31. People already in a Medicare Advantage plan can make one change during that window.

For health systems, insurers and senior-focused services, Q1 is a second chance to reach people reconsidering their choices.

03 | New Year, New Decisions

January is when people commit to changes. They join gyms, book appointments, plan home projects, review finances and look for new routines.

Those resolutions create real demand in categories from fitness and healthcare to home services and financial planning. Brands that show up now can become part of the new routine.

04 | Less Competition, More Room

When other advertisers pull back after the holidays, the ones who stay visible face less clutter and get more attention for every dollar.

A steady presence in Q1 also carries momentum from your holiday campaign, so you don't have to rebuild familiarity from scratch in the spring.

Start the Year Ahead

Q1 isn't a pause. It's an opening, with live sports, enrollment windows and fresh decisions all in the first three months. Plan for it now and your brand starts 2027 already in front of the audience.

Connect with Hearst Pittsburgh to build a first-quarter plan that puts your brand in front of Pittsburgh from New Year's Day through spring.

Sources: ABC: 2026-27 CFP broadcast schedule · ESPN: Super Bowl LXI details · Medicare enrollment dates at a glance