Connected TV

What is Connected TV?

Connected TV refers to television screens that are connected to the internet and stream digital content via apps or platforms. In everyday terms, this is how people watch services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, broadcaster on-demand apps, or ad-supported streaming platforms on their smart TV, or via devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or game consoles.

From an advertising perspective, CTV enables brands to place video ads directly within these streaming environments (on the biggest screen in the household) while using digital logic behind the scenes. That means campaigns can be targeted based on audience signals, controlled by frequency, and measured with far more transparency than traditional TV advertising.

In short: CTV combines the viewing experience of television with the precision and accountability of digital advertising, which is why it has become increasingly relevant for modern media strategies.

CTV vs. Linear TV

At first glance, CTV and linear TV may look similar, both deliver video ads on the biggest screen in the household. But when taking a closer look, they operate very differently.

What Is Linear TV?

Linear TV refers to traditional television broadcasting where content is scheduled and delivered in a fixed, one-way stream. Viewers watch programs at predefined times on broadcast or cable channels, and advertising is inserted into commercial breaks that air simultaneously for everyone watching that channel at that moment.

Media buying in linear TV is typically based on estimated reach and demographics, using panel-based measurement and broad audience assumptions rather than individual signals.

While linear TV remains powerful for mass reach and brand building, its structure has changed little over decades, even as viewing habits have shifted toward on-demand, streaming-first consumption.

Difference: Linear TV vs. Connected TV

CTV breaks with this logic: ads are delivered via internet-connected devices, bought digitally, and can be targeted, measured, and optimized based on actual usage and data signals rather than fixed schedules and broad audience estimates.

In short, linear TV is exposure-driven, while CTV is data-driven. This means that CTV belongs into a digital media strategy.

Your campaign via CTV

CTV campaigns can be implemented in a highly visual, immersive way that feels closer to cinema than classic TV advertising. On the screen, they often appear in full-screen or “cinema mode,” using high-resolution video, smooth animations, and strong storytelling to capture attention from the first second. Brands can combine moving visuals, dynamic transitions, and subtle motion elements around the main message to create a premium look and feel.

Depending on the setup, campaigns may also include interactive layers such as overlays, animated frames, or call-to-action elements that appear around or after the spot, turning the living room screen into an engaging brand experience rather than just a passive ad placement.

Find out more about various formats here.

Why CTV Is Becoming a Core Pillar of Media Strategies

Connected TV is no longer an experimental add-on to media plans. It is steadily becoming a central layer in how brands think about video, reach, and attention. As viewing continues to shift toward streaming-first environments, CTV is expected to account for around 40% of total video ad spend within the next few years, not as a replacement for everything else, but as the connective tissue between television-scale impact and digital intelligence.

What makes CTV so powerful is not the screen itself, but the way it combines the emotional strength of TV with the control, measurability, and flexibility of digital media. When integrated properly into a broader Open Web strategy, CTV doesn’t operate in isolation. It informs targeting, shapes frequency across devices, and extends brand narratives beyond the living room, from awareness to action.

The brands that will win with CTV are not those who treat it as “digital TV,” but those who understand it as part of a connected video ecosystem. One where technology, data, and creative work together to earn attention, not just impressions.

Thinking about launching your CTV campaign or integrating in into your media strategy?

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