CTV Report 2026

The New Prime Time

Authored by Akshay Chaturvedi
Chief Business Officer, VDO.AI

CTV has entered its defining moment. It has moved firmly into the centre of modern media plans. As adoption accelerates, expectations are shifting from simple visibility to measurable impact. Marketers today expect more than reach. They want outcomes, disciplined frequency management and clear connections to business results. This report explores the forces driving CTV’s next phase of growth and what marketers must do to fully unlock its potential.

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14% YoY growth in CTV ad spend  ✦  80% Advertisers ready to increase CTV budgets  ✦  Automotive brands hit 93% video completion rate  ✦  70%+ advertisers using CTV beyond top-funnel goals  ✦  14% YoY growth in CTV ad spend  ✦  80% Advertisers ready to increase CTV budgets  ✦  Automotive brands hit 93% video completion rate  ✦  70%+ advertisers using CTV beyond top-funnel goals  ✦ 
$37B
Projected CTV ad spend in 2026
85%+
Households with at least one CTV device
44.8%
Share of total TV viewing now driven by streaming
73%
Media buyers shifting budgets from linear TV to CTV

The Experiment is Over. CTV is Now the Standard.

CTV has moved into its scale era. It's where television planning is actively taking shape, enabling brands to do two things at once: earn attention on the biggest screen and understand what happens next.

CTV is becoming the organising layer for modern TV strategy, where brand and performance operate in sync. Advertisers are leaning in as the value becomes increasingly clear.

In this report, Akshay Chaturvedi brings together key industry shifts, emerging challenges and practical frameworks to help marketers navigate this transition and build for scale.

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Key Findings

What the Numbers Say

70%+ Full-Funnel Adoption

Over 70% of advertisers plan to use CTV beyond top-funnel goals, extending it into consideration and measurable business outcomes.

42.7% Cross-Screen Planning

42.7% of advertisers are already exploring predictive cross-screen reach modelling, the direction is clear, scale either holds or breaks here.

77% SMB on CTV

77% of small to midsize businesses are running or have previously run performance TV campaigns so TV is no longer reserved for the biggest brands.

Inside the Report

What You'll Learn

01
CTV's Shift to Scale

Why CTV has become central to modern television planning and how it brings attention and measurable outcomes together.

02
The Changing Viewer Reality

How evolving viewing behaviour, formats and context shape how audiences engage and how brands need to respond.

03
Designing High-Impact CTV Experiences

The creative principles that make CTV effective, from building for the big screen to using sequencing as a strategic lever.

04
What Marketers Should Do Now

Practical actions to scale CTV, including smarter buying, better frequency control, lifecycle planning and reducing ad waste.

Get the Full Report

A detailed look at CTV strategy, data and practical frameworks designed for marketers, media planners and brand teams ready to lead.

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