Helping CTV flourish beyond the silo

The year 2028 is primed to be a landmark one: For the first time, connected TV (CTV) ad spend is projected to overtake traditional TV spend. Seventeen years after Netflix disrupted the industry by ushering in the streaming era, the numbers are clear — television has changed for good, and advertisers recognize that.

Still, the CTV space is filled with untapped opportunities that can fuel continued expansion. Marketers need to realize that CTV isn’t just another tool that operates in a silo but the linchpin of a truly omnichannel strategy.

The complexity of buying and measuring CTV campaigns has been a major roadblock to unlocking CTV’s full potential. Many advertisers still consider the streaming space fragmented, with inconsistent measurement standards and buying options that have made it tough for advertisers to scale efficiently.

Programmatic buying is the key to breaking through those barriers. Bringing more premium CTV inventory into programmatic channels can streamline ad transactions and open the door for brands of all sizes to access high-quality placements. With greater programmatic adoption, advertisers can benefit from real-time bidding, dynamic targeting and the ability to optimize campaigns on the fly based on performance data.

This also dovetails with cross-screen measurement. Tracking performance across devices — tying CTV ad exposures directly to business outcomes — is essential. Solutions that bridge the gap between traditional TV metrics and digital measurement will enable brands to plan and execute more data-driven campaigns.

The convergence of CTV and commerce

One of the more exciting developments in the space is the integration of commerce media into CTV, which opens the door to new performance-driven opportunities.

Retailers and commerce platforms are forging strategic partnerships with premium publishers and broadcasters to extend reach while maintaining brand safety and data privacy. Instacart’s collaboration with Roku and Walmart’s acquisition of Vizio are two prime examples of this. Such alliances enable brands to connect commerce media data with CTV inventory, combining scale with precision.

The rise of shoppable CTV experiences further blurs the lines between content and commerce. By integrating commerce media insights, advertisers can optimize targeting, serve highly relevant ads and even create interactive shopping opportunities directly within the viewing experience. This brings CTV into better alignment with social media, where immediate consumer action has historically been easier to facilitate.

Enhancing omnichannel opportunities through livestreaming

Livestreaming — especially around mainstream sports — presents another major opportunity for CTV growth. As more sports leagues and entertainment providers shift from linear TV to streaming platforms, advertisers are rethinking how they engage audiences in real time.

Take the Super Bowl: While traditional big-ticket TV spots command attention, savvy advertisers are now layering CTV into their omnichannel strategies. By doing so, brands can extend their reach beyond the linear broadcast audience and reinforce messaging across multiple touchpoints. The same goes for awards shows, breaking news or tentpole cultural moments.

CTV is at an inflection point. The next wave of CTV growth won’t happen in a vacuum — it requires strategic development, collaboration and a commitment to driving real results.

Now is the time for brands to demand more accountability, for publishers to open their premium inventory to programmatic solutions and for commerce platforms to embrace CTV’s full potential. By integrating CTV within an omnichannel strategy — not treating it as a stand-alone channel — the industry can unlock a new era of advertising that delivers both brand lift and business results, solidifying CTV’s role in the future of media.