Dropping the ‘C’: 3 experts on why we need to rethink CTV
IAB UK members share their views and ask what challenges the industry needs to tackle to move from a siloed and fragmented TV landscape

CTV is reshaping how audiences engage with video content, merging the best of digital and broadcast into a single, seamless experience. Shows like The Bear, Slow Horses and The Day of the Jackal prove it’s all about great content, regardless of the platform. For advertisers, ‘dropping the C’ opens up opportunities to engage audiences more holistically, aligning with how viewers now consume TV – fluidly, across devices and formats.
So, is it time to stop thinking of CTV as the sibling of TV? Or is there still an argument for a differentiated planning approach? We asked PubMatic, MiQ and Vevo to share their views and ask what challenges the industry needs to tackle to move from a siloed and fragmented TV landscape.
The viewer experience remains key
Tim Willcox (regional VP, UK, PubMatic): “For audiences, CTV is simply TV. While the technological foundations differ, the viewer experience and the benefits for advertisers remain consistent. It’s long-form advertising available via a screen that connects brands with audiences and contributes to our shared culture. TV ads, whether delivered through traditional linear buys or programmatic platforms, have a legacy of being memorable and impactful. The key challenge lies in balancing the broad, mass reach and storytelling power of TV with the precision targeting capabilities of digital environments. However, the decades of insights gained from TV advertising aren’t likely to be forgotten.
Where CTV may diverge is in measurement, delivery via the internet and buying mechanics. Should CTV align with linear TV measurement systems, or should it adopt frameworks more akin to digital? There’s room for both. CTV is evolving into a hybrid space, where multiple models – from programmatic buying to upfront deals – coexist. As more media buyers start entering the space in their ongoing quest for incremental reach, it will be intriguing to see which strategies gain prominence in shaping this market.”
The power of programmatic
Ste Emsall (head of advanced TV, MiQ): “Users don’t differentiate between TV and CTV as channels – they simply expect a high-quality entertainment experience anytime they turn on the big screen. But for marketers planning their TV strategies, these two channels present differentiated but complementary opportunities. Linear TV remains a cornerstone of advertising, offering an effective way to reach broad audiences at mass. CTV serves as an enhancement to linear TV, allowing brands to leverage the power of programmatic to target hard-to-reach TV audiences that are increasingly only watching streaming channels.
By augmenting your linear TV strategies with CTV, you drive incrementality and avoid diminishing return on your investment. The way to win in this increasingly digital TV world is through programmatic; it enables cost-effective, cross-platform campaigns that span the entire TV ecosystem, unlocking new opportunities for growth and innovation.”
Follow your audience
James Cornish (SVP of international sales & partnerships, Vevo): “Connected TV isn’t a new platform – it’s TV updated. Smart TVs deliver the same premium content you see on traditional TV - drama, news, sport and music - but with more flexibility and choice on offer. And Ofcom’s Media Nations report supports this, revealing that audiences, especially younger ones, aren’t worried about how content gets to their screen. What matters, particularly from an advertising perspective, is the source of the content, and whether it meets the high standards set by traditional TV to build credibility and trust for their brand in the long run.
Cross-media measurement is becoming easier, with vendors such as Nielsen and Audience Project, allowing advertisers to track campaign performance with deduplicated reach across screens and concentrate on the quality of content instead. Brands and agencies can track whole campaign plans across platforms and publishers to see the incrementality of their reach and prove the effectiveness of using CTV to connect with younger viewers, who are increasingly opting out of the rigidity of linear TV viewing. CTV isn’t and shouldn’t be in competition with traditional TV on plans. It is viewing upgraded and modernized in a way that allows for greater scale and flexibility for reaching audiences.”