Final answer:
A television commercial is categorized as advertising, which is a form of paid communication used to promote products, services, or ideas to a wide audience, including political campaigns which utilize TV's extensive reach.
Step-by-step explanation:
A television commercial belongs to the category of advertising, which is one of the four main types of promotional activities. Unlike personal selling, public relations, or sales promotion, advertising involves creating and placing paid communications in various media outlets to reach a target audience.
TV advertisements leverage the broad reach of television to connect with consumers, using sophisticated viewer data to tailor ads to specific demographics. The role of television advertising in political campaigns, specifically, is significant because it allows for a widespread dissemination of campaign messages to potential voters. While online and social media advertising are also becoming increasingly important, television ads still play a major role in political campaigns due to their extensive reach and impact.