"As CTV matures, the streaming ad industry is entering a period of change. Media giants like The Walt Disney Company and Paramount are pursuing mergers that have the potential to reduce market fragmentation and strengthen scale. At the same time, advertisers are reevaluating how they measure success across streaming platforms as performance expectations rise and audience viewing habits shift. Industry-wide, brands and platforms are experimenting with how to best implement AI in CTV."
"To map out marketers' current digital playbook, Digiday+ Research distributed three surveys asking 125 respondents a range of questions, including past and upcoming investments, marketing channel tactics and business challenges. Digiday+ Research also conducted interviews with the marketing and streaming executives from the following companies:"
"YouTube came out on top for the fourth year in a row as the ad-supported streaming service that received the largest portion of both survey respondents' ad placements and ad budgets. Seventy-five percent of brand and agency respondents said they currently place ads on YouTube as of Q1 2026. Amazon's Prime Video (with ads) followed in second place at 47% of respondents, while Hulu and Paramount+ tied in third place at 43% of respondents, respectively."
Ad-supported streaming is becoming more complex as CTV matures and the industry enters a period of change. Media companies pursue mergers to reduce fragmentation and increase scale. Advertisers are reevaluating how they measure success across streaming platforms as performance expectations rise and viewing habits shift. Brands and platforms are experimenting with implementing AI in CTV. A research effort analyzed strategies and challenges across major marketing channels and focused on ad-supported streaming’s role in marketers’ playbooks. Survey responses from 125 participants covered current and upcoming investments, tactics, and business challenges. Interviews with marketing and streaming executives provided additional context. YouTube led ad placements and budgets for the fourth year in a row, followed by Amazon Prime Video, then Hulu and Paramount+.
#ctv-advertising #ad-supported-streaming #marketing-measurement #ai-in-advertising #retail-media-and-influencer-marketing
Read at Digiday
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