Connected TV & OTT Advertising for B2B
Opportunities and Challenges in the New Primetime
The Unskippable Opportunity
The B2B marketing landscape is transforming, driven by a seismic shift in how decision-makers consume media. The traditional separation between professional and personal media has dissolved, making Connected TV (CTV) and Over-the-Top (OTT) streaming essential for reaching elusive B2B buying committees.
of U.S. households now have Connected TV, making the new B2B primetime on-demand.
Beyond Budget Reallocation
While the opportunity is immense, success isn't guaranteed by simply shifting budgets. It hinges on a sophisticated understanding of targeting methodologies, measurement frameworks, and creative strategies that are fundamentally different from both legacy TV and other digital channels.
The Audience is Here, and Engaged
The core findings are undeniable: the B2B audience is present on CTV at a massive scale, and their engagement in this lean-back, premium content environment is exceptionally high.
234M
Individual CTV Viewers in the U.S.
2h 15m
Average Daily CTV Watch Time
>90%
Average Ad Completion Rate
From Awareness to a Performance Engine
Strategically, B2B advertisers are evolving their use of CTV from a top-of-funnel brand tool into a full-funnel performance engine, demanding measurable outcomes like return on ad spend (ROAS) and direct influence on the sales pipeline.
The Data Activation Imperative
Achieving these outcomes requires a mastery of advanced data activation. Your ability to layer first-party CRM data with third-party firmographic and real-time intent data is now the cornerstone of precision targeting.
The Measurement Challenge
The lengthy B2B buyer’s journey necessitates a move beyond simplistic last-touch attribution models. Methodologies like multi-touch attribution, brand lift studies, and geo-lift experiments are now critical for quantifying CTV's true impact.
Creative Excellence as the Differentiator
In a world where AI lowers the barrier to video production, high-quality, emotionally resonant storytelling is paramount to capturing attention. The strategic imperative for B2B leaders is clear: mastering CTV advertising is no longer optional for sustainable growth and competitive advantage in the 2026 landscape and beyond. This report is your blueprint.
Chapter Two
The New Primetime
Quantifying the scale of the audience and market to prove CTV's undeniable relevance as a primary channel for influencing business buyers.
The Scale of the Shift
The migration from linear TV to on-demand streaming has reached critical mass. U.S. CTV ad spending shows explosive growth, projected to reach $33.35 billion in 2025 and hit $46.89 billion by 2028, while digital video ad spend has already surpassed linear TV.
of CTV ad spend will be transacted programmatically by 2025.
The Programmatic Engine
Unlike linear TV, CTV advertising is overwhelmingly built on automated, data-driven ad buying. This programmatic-first nature is what unlocks the advanced targeting and measurement that make CTV a viable B2B performance channel through programmatic buying.
The Rise of Ad-Supported Streaming
As viewers manage subscription costs, they are increasingly choosing ad-supported plans. In Q1 2025, 57% of new SVOD subscribers chose ad-supported tiers, growing the premium inventory pool on platforms like Netflix and Disney+ via ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD).
"B2B buyers—when they aren't working—are people who are logging into streaming apps."
The modern B2B customer journey is fluid, occurring across all screens at all times. CTV is now a primary touchpoint for influence.
Beyond the C-Suite
The CTV audience aligns perfectly with the entire B2B buying committee. Viewership skews younger than linear TV, with penetration over 80% among the core professional workforce aged 25–54. This makes CTV a uniquely powerful tool for account-based marketing (ABM) efforts.
A Captive, Lean-Back Environment
Unlike the distracted scroll of social media, CTV commands focused attention on the largest screen in the home. This leads to exceptionally high ad completion rates (averaging 90%+) as ads are often unskippable. Ad attention rose to 51.5% in Q1 2024, confirming this heightened focus.
Chapter Three
The B2B Imperative
Exploring the shift from brand awareness to a performance engine, focusing on ROI, pipeline influence, and the required evolution in measurement.
Core Drivers for B2B Investment
Investment is no longer about reach; it's about performance parity with search and social, driven by targeted engagement and compelling evidence of high return on investment (ROI).
The "Halo Effect"
CTV's brand-building impact creates a rising tide that lifts other channels. The advertising platform MNTN data shows adding CTV boosts conversion rates across paid search, social, and email, making it a central pillar of an integrated marketing strategy.
Measuring Success Beyond Impressions
The focus must shift from top-of-funnel metrics to the full buyer's journey. The most tracked KPIs are now strong performance indicators like ROAS and cost-per-acquisition (CPA) (37%), followed by revenue and website visitors (25%). Success stories now feature a 31% faster sales cycle and a 10% higher closed-won rate.
The Final Bridge: Tech & Team Alignment
Measuring true value requires a re-architecture of your measurement framework. It demands a tightly integrated tech stack connecting your ad platform, website analytics, marketing automation platform (MAP), and customer relationship management (CRM) system, breaking down data silos and fostering deep collaboration between marketing and sales.
Chapter Four
Precision Targeting on the Big Screen
Merging the high-impact environment of television with the data-driven precision of digital to reach specific accounts and buying committees.
The Niche Audience Paradox
The core challenge is reaching specific business personas on mass-consumer platforms. The solution lies in sophisticated data orchestration, combining your first-party data (like CRM lists) with powerful third-party B2B data sources.
Layering Intelligence with Intent
Specialized data providers like Bombora are critical. Their intent data identifies companies actively researching topics related to your products. By layering this over your CRM lists using a data onboarding platform like LiveRamp, you can focus high-cost CTV ads only on accounts that are currently in-market and ready to buy.
The IP Targeting Dilemma
Traditional IP-based targeting is challenged by the hybrid work era. Relying on static office IPs is now obsolete. Success depends on vendors who use advanced "IP intelligence" to accurately target decision-makers in their home offices.
The Advids Warning:
The shift to hybrid work has rendered basic, static IP targeting obsolete. You must rigorously question your adtech vendors on their remote workforce targeting capabilities. Relying on an office-only IP model is one of the fastest ways to waste your CTV budget.
The B2B CTV Technology Stack
Navigating the ecosystem requires understanding the key platforms that enable campaign execution and measurement.
DSPs & ABM Platforms
The Trade Desk, Demandbase, and 6sense are key demand-side platforms (DSPs) for purchasing inventory and activating audiences.
Streaming Platforms
Hulu, YouTube TV, and Roku are the consumer-facing services where ads are served, each offering different targeting capabilities.
The B2B CTV Targeting Matrix: An Advids Framework
A decision-making tool to connect marketing objectives with the appropriate tactics, platforms, and measurement.
| Objective | Tactic / Data Source | Platforms | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospecting Net-New ICP Accounts | Firmographic data + Bombora Intent | The Trade Desk, Demandbase, 6sense | Brand Lift Study |
| Activating Tier 1 ABM List | First-Party CRM Data Onboarding | LiveRamp + DSP, Demandbase | Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) |
| Competitive Conquesting | Bombora Intent (Competitor names) | Bombora + DSP (The Trade Desk) | Geo-Lift Study |
| Nurturing Mid-Funnel | Retargeting website visitors | MNTN, Demandbase, The Trade Desk | View-Through Conversion |
| Driving Product Adoption/Upsell | First-Party CRM Data (Existing customers) | LiveRamp + DSP | A/B Test (Holdout Group) |
Chapter Five
The Measurement Maze
Navigating the "Attribution Abyss" to accurately measure CTV's contribution to pipeline and revenue in a complex B2B sales cycle.
The Core Challenge: The Attribution Abyss
Last-touch attribution fails for B2B CTV because of long sales cycles. An ad seen today might influence a deal six months later. This "attribution gap," where up to 97% of website visitors are anonymous, is where CTV's value is often lost.
Beyond Last-Touch
To overcome this, employ multi-touch attribution (MTA). Models like U-Shaped and W-Shaped give credit to early, awareness-driving touchpoints, acknowledging CTV's role. However, this requires sophisticated device graph technology and identity resolution to connect household ad views in a cookieless environment to conversions on other devices.
Brand Lift Studies
The gold standard for top-of-funnel impact. By surveying an exposed group and a control group, you can scientifically measure the lift in ad recall, awareness, and purchase intent caused by your campaign.
Geo-Lift Studies
The most powerful way to measure causal impact on business outcomes. By running a campaign in "test" markets and comparing results to "control" markets, you can isolate the incremental revenue generated solely by the ads. This is also known as incrementality testing.
Navigating the 'Attribution Abyss': The Advids Model
A multi-layered framework combining leading indicators, direct response tracking, and experimental validation for a comprehensive performance picture.
Layer 1: Foundational Indicators
Are we reaching the right people? Track target account reach, frequency, and website visit lift to get early signals.
Layer 2: Direct Engagement
Are they taking the next step? Measure QR code scans, vanity URL visits, and view-through conversions for direct response data.
Layer 3: Causal Business Impact
Did it drive the business? Use Geo-Lift and Brand Lift studies to prove the true, incremental impact on pipeline and revenue.
The Advids Contrarian Take:
"Your relentless pursuit of precise, direct attribution for B2B CTV is not only unrealistic, it's counterproductive. It forces you to undervalue the channel's most significant contributions—building brand awareness, warming up cold accounts, and creating the 'halo effect' that makes all of your other channels perform better."
Chapter Six
Crafting the Message
Overcoming "Creative Dissonance" to adapt complex B2B value propositions into emotionally-driven creative that wins on the big screen.
Overcoming "Creative Dissonance"
The greatest barrier to B2B CTV success is often a lack of high-quality creative. In an entertainment-focused environment, "boring" B2B ads fail. As AI lowers the bar for production, genuine creativity becomes the primary driver of ROI.
High-Impact Creative Formats
Explainer Videos
Make intangible SaaS products tangible by showing how the product solves a specific problem.
Testimonials & Case Studies
Build credibility and trust by featuring real customers sharing their quantifiable results and success.
Product Demos
Showcase your UI in action, highlighting how it solves a key pain point in a visually compelling way.
The B2B Creative Dissonance Framework: An Advids Guide
A structured approach to translating complex value propositions into compelling, high-retention CTV ads.
Pillar 1: Deconstruct
Distill your value prop to one core problem. What is its emotional impact? What is the "Aha!" moment for your customer?
Pillar 2: Select Vehicle
Choose the right storytelling format. Use a simple metaphor, frame a customer as the hero, or create an unexpected and memorable demo.
Pillar 3: Optimize
Design for a lean-back environment. Be visually driven, use professional pacing, and have a single, unmistakable Call-to-Action like a QR code.
Case Study: Industrial Automation Co.
Problem: A B2B manufacturer needed to launch a new, highly technical robotic arm to a niche audience of factory managers.
Solution: They applied the framework, creating a 30-second spot comparing the robot's precision to a symphony conductor. The ad used dramatic footage set to classical music, avoiding jargon and ending with a QR code CTA.
Outcome: The campaign achieved high recall and the QR code generated hundreds of qualified leads, with several multi-million dollar deals attributed directly to the initial CTV engagement.
The Advids Perspective on Creative Excellence:
"The single biggest mistake B2B brands make in CTV is treating it like a scaled-up version of a LinkedIn video ad... You must approach CTV creative with a 'cinema-first' mindset."
Chapter Seven
Strategic Integration
Positioning CTV within your omni-channel playbook to create a cohesive, high-impact buyer experience from start to finish.
CTV & ABM: A Force Multiplier
CTV is the ultimate "air cover" for an Account-Based Marketing (ABM) program. It warms up entire high-value accounts by building brand awareness and credibility across the buying committee before sales outreach even begins, significantly increasing the effectiveness of all subsequent efforts.
Crafting a Cohesive Journey
To create a seamless customer journey, use sequential messaging. Deliver ads in a planned sequence, with each message building on the last. The combination of CTV for broad awareness and LinkedIn for mid-funnel education is a particularly powerful pairing for B2B.
The CTV-to-LinkedIn Playbook
Stage 1: Awareness (CTV)
Use a 15-30s brand story to introduce a problem and build top-of-mind awareness across target accounts.
Stage 2: Consideration (LinkedIn)
Retarget the CTV audience on LinkedIn with specific, educational content like a case study or webinar invitation.
Stage 3: Decision (Sales)
Individuals who engage with the LinkedIn content are now identified as highly qualified leads for personalized sales outreach.
Chapter Eight
Navigating the Headwinds
Addressing the key challenges of strategic misalignment, creative quality, and the evolving privacy landscape.
The Risk of Misaligned Goals
A critical contradiction exists: while most marketers cite top-of-funnel goals like brand awareness, 80% use narrow, performance-oriented targeting. This dooms campaigns by limiting the necessary scale for awareness goals.
Creative Quality & Ad Fatigue
The greatest challenge remains creative. Low-quality ads get ignored. Furthermore, precise targeting risks ad fatigue if not managed. Use robust frequency capping and rotate multiple creative variations to keep messaging fresh.
A Resilient, Cookieless Future
CTV may be uniquely resilient to the deprecation of third-party cookies. Its targeting relies on more durable identifiers like IP addresses and logged-in user data. Moreover, its most robust measurement methods—geo-lift and brand lift studies—are inherently privacy-safe, operating on aggregated or voluntary data.
Chapter Nine
Future Outlook & Recommendations
A strategic roadmap for capitalizing on the future of B2B on CTV, driven by AI, new formats, and evolving media landscapes.
The Strategic Roadmap for 2026: An Advids Guide
Structure your CTV initiatives around three core pillars: Invest, Divest, and Experiment.
Invest
- A formal test-and-learn program.
- Premium creative development.
- Integrated measurement infrastructure.
Divest
- Over-reliance on last-touch attribution.
- Generic, untargeted "brand" campaigns.
Experiment
- Advanced measurement like geo-lift studies.
- Sequential omni-channel campaigns.
- Interactive ad formats with QR codes.
The Advids Pilot Campaign Blueprint
A step-by-step guide to translate strategy into action for your first campaign.
The Impact of AI
AI will continue to shape CTV. It will democratize video creation, reinforcing the need for human creativity to stand out. It will also power real-time campaign optimization, as advanced DSPs use AI to analyze millions of ad opportunities per second to maximize your ROI.
The Dawn of Shoppable TV for B2B
While nascent, "t-commerce" holds significant future potential. Imagine a B2B viewer using their remote to instantly download a whitepaper or book a demo directly from an ad, creating a seamless bridge from awareness to conversion.
The Final Imperative
Connected TV is the new B2B primetime. Success is determined by your ability to integrate: integrate data for precision targeting, integrate CTV into an omni-channel strategy, integrate measurement with your CRM, and integrate a "cinema-first" creative mindset. The time for mastery is now.