Connected TV (CTV) advertising is no longer an emerging opportunity — it’s a core component of any modern marketing strategy. With 47.2 million Connected TV users in the UK alone (growing by around 1 million per year), CTV has officially crossed the threshold from “next big thing” to a critical part of the media mix. According to the IAB UK / PwC Digital Adspend Study 2023, CTV ad spend in the UK surged 22% year-over-year to £1.126 billion, cementing its place in the advertising mainstream.
But this is no time for complacency. The real winners in the CTV space aren’t just those who show up — they’re the brands that treat CTV not as a siloed tactic, but as a flexible, iterative and fully integrated piece of their cross-channel strategy. Success on CTV doesn’t come from waiting for the perfect plan. It comes from testing, learning and optimizing in real time, just like the mobile advertising boom a decade ago. If your brand isn’t treating CTV as a strategic imperative, you risk losing ground to more agile competitors who already are.
Creativity, Strategy and Integration — The CTV Trifecta
The best-performing CTV campaigns embrace creativity and strategy in equal measure. It’s not just about placing a 30-second spot on a streaming service and calling it a day. Winning brands are tailoring ad lengths and creative formats to fit specific viewing environments, from immersive long-form storytelling to short, attention-grabbing bursts. Shoppable ads, interactive overlays and dynamic creative that responds to factors like location or weather all enhance the power of the big screen with the precision of digital.
Crucially, CTV shouldn’t operate in isolation. The strongest campaigns seamlessly integrate CTV with the rest of your media plan, including linear TV, digital video, social and even out-of-home (DOOH). This holistic approach doesn’t just improve efficiency — it amplifies your brand message across channels, ensuring every touchpoint reinforces the last.
CTV + Cross-Channel = Amplified Impact
The old narrative of streaming vs. linear is outdated. Linear TV had a strong 2024, buoyed by live events like the Olympics, and that’s a good thing. Linear and CTV aren’t competitors; they’re complementary, like jam and cream on a scone. The precise ratio may shift, but the two work better together than apart.
A well-integrated strategy ensures you’re not just showing up where your audience is, but also following them across their viewing journey. For example, brands can sequence messaging across channels targeting a user who saw a linear TV ad with follow-up messaging on CTV, or re-engaging someone who saw a CTV ad with a personalised digital follow-up on their phone. Some brands are even testing DOOH-to-mobile retargeting, a cutting-edge tactic that could help turn brand awareness into action.
These cross-channel capabilities aren’t just futuristic thinking, but they’re instead becoming table stakes for forward-thinking marketers.
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Data-Driven Testing and Optimisation
CTV’s true advantage is its agility. Brands can test creative, formats and placements in near real-time, using AI-powered tools like Neurons’ predictive heat mapping technology for example, to gauge which assets will capture attention before a campaign even launches.
A/B testing across platforms, from YouTube to ITVX, helps brands identify what works across different environments. It’s critical to avoid putting all your budget into a single walled garden. No platform can offer a complete audience on its own, and inventory-agnostic approaches help maximise both reach and efficiency.
Another must: drilling your vendors on transparency. Many CTV providers still offer inconsistent data on exactly where and when your ads run. Until the industry evolves to demand clearer show-level reporting, brands will need to proactively push for better visibility and more rigorous frequency capping to avoid overwhelming audiences.
Incremental Measurement and the ROI Proof Point
In the past few years, many brands have approached CTV with caution, testing its incremental impact on both brand and performance metrics. The results are increasingly clear: when done right, CTV delivers strong ROI and helps brands reach new, often hard-to-reach audiences.
Each brand’s experience will vary, but the common thread is clear — CTV isn’t just a brand awareness play. With smart creative, precise targeting and seamless cross-channel integration, it’s a performance driver too. Brands that embrace iterative testing rather than waiting for a mythical perfect strategy are the ones consistently seeing the strongest returns.
CTV Is Just TV Now
Finally, it’s worth remembering that to audiences, “CTV” is just…TV. Consumers aren’t thinking about acronyms, they’re simply watching content, whether it’s on a smart TV, a streaming stick or their laptop. The industry may obsess over definitions, but for viewers, it’s all television. Brands that succeed on CTV are the ones that think the same way — delivering great creative, seamless experiences and relevant messaging regardless of screen or platform.
The Time to Act Is Now
CTV’s rapid evolution mirrors that of mobile advertising and just like in mobile, the early adopters are the ones setting the pace and reaping the rewards. The good news? It’s not too late to jump in. But the window for hesitation is closing fast.
Whether you’re a brand looking to build awareness, drive action or both, the message is clear: CTV can’t wait. Test, learn, optimise and most importantly, integrate. When CTV is treated as an essential, evolving piece of a broader strategy, it transforms from a single tactic into a true powerhouse for engagement and ROI.
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