Ask the Expert: Video Advertising - Connected TV - OTT - Streaming

Ask the Expert, with Marc Brasset of Western Media Group

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CTV? OTT? Streaming? What do they all mean?

Connected TV or CTV: is the umbrella term for the overall category. Connected TV refers to a television or a TV-connected device that can stream video content from the web. “Think of CTV as the conduit for delivering OTT content.”

OTT: Over the Top, generally refers to the content - the apps that people are watching. Over-The-Top refers to video content delivered over the Internet directly to viewers instead of traditional broadcast, satellite, or cable mediums. “Think of it as skipping over the middleman that was linear TV!” 

Streaming: An overall category. Although not necessarily just CTV. According to the Summer 2023 Vividata survey, audiences are spending almost an hour a day with each of free, and paid video streaming.

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What’s the difference between CTV and OTT? 

You often hear the terms OTT and CTV used almost interchangeably, which can be a bit confusing, “OTT advertising typically consists of pre-roll ads and other video advertising that is shown to users watching ad-supported content. CTV advertising includes OTT ads as well as home screen display ads on the devices themselves. That’s why you’ll usually hear the term CTV advertising much more often.” 

There still is some ambiguity around the definition of these terms, admits Marc, “There’s a lot of grey area, you want to make sure you’re getting what you expect. Are YouTube ads on a Smart TV considered Connected TV, for example? Are ads that play through video game consoles considered Connected TV ads? There’s no right or wrong answer, but the costs and the expectations can be quite different.”

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More Acronyms

AVOD - Ad-supported Video On Demand: Video services that have ads, or Ad-supported tiers of platforms like Disney+ or Netflix, as well as free services like tubi, newsy, and Pluto

SVOD - Subscription Video On Demand: Typically refers to ad-free platforms

BVOD - Broadcast Video On Demand: Video on demand from Broadcasters, think CBC Gem, or TSN

FAST - Free Ad Supported Television: Streaming television that is not available on demand, but instead is like traditional television. While content is delivered one-to-many, the ads are still delivered one-to-one. 

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How do ads appear to viewers? 

Ads appear just like television commercials in broadcast. Streaming ads appear just like a commercial with pre-rolls appearing before content. Overall, says Marc, “the presentation of CTV is very much like a TV viewing experience”. 

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How is CTV different from Broadcast (Traditional) TV?

Broadcast ads are served to all users watching the same program at the same time, we call this a “1-to-many delivery”. With Connected TV, everyone may be streaming at the same time, but the content they’re seeing will be different, it’s a “1-to-1 delivery”

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Who uses CTV?

According to a 2023 survey on eMarketer, 20% of digital time spent is Connected TV. 72% of adults in Canada watched CTV in the past month, with a total of 21.4 million CTV viewers in Canada in 2023. CTV represents a huge opportunity for businesses looking to reach their audience online. 

The growth potential for AVOD (ad-supported VOD) has been steadily growing in Canada, with opportunities on Netflix starting in 2022, Crave & Disney+ in 2023, and Paramount+ & Prime this year. 

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CTV Targeting

CTV ads are cost-effective, offering a number of targeting options and real-time data insights. Ads can be targeted by device type, geo-targeted to specific markets, and refined by property or show, language, and genre. Additionally, frequency capping can help optimize campaign reach, and retargeting can make sure your message is seen.

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How much does it cost? 

As with any advertising, the cost varies depending on the campaign's ultimate goal and timelines. CTV is sold on CPM basis, with some platforms and targeting a bit more “premium” than other channels. When determining whether CTV is right for you, consider how many users you’d like to reach, and the frequency of which you’d like to reach them. Is there an event coming up that you want everyone to know about? Are you new to a market and hoping to create brand awareness? The type of campaign you run can dramatically affect the cost. 

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What kind of return can I expect? 

CTV is an awareness tactic, similar to billboards or radio, the measurement is by “impressions” - times the ads were served, “completions” - how many times the ads were viewed in their entirety, and “completion rate” - the percentage of users who watched the entire ad. 

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How do I know it ran?

We provide reports to show campaign delivery. The great thing about CTV is that it allows for more measurement than traditional TV commercials which would rely on survey or offline tracking. We can show performance by platform (Roku, Amazon, Apple, etc.) as well as completion rate by network (CNN, Discovery, etc.), impressions by device, time of day, and location.

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Do I have to have a professional commercial-quality video ad?

Having high-quality video assets will positively affect the performance of your campaign. Consider the context of how your ad will appear and how your viewer would perceive your brand. There are a number of video editors, as well as AI video generators that can help with creating high-quality content. 

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Who should consider CTV advertising? 

CTV can be a great option for a wide variety of advertisers looking to expand their reach online.

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