The news: Connected TV (CTV) engagement is growing steadily, with engagement per impression reaching 1.94% in Q2 2025, up from 1% in Q2 2024, per our industry KPI data provided by BrightLine. Engagement per impression is defined as the proportion of impressions where users actively use their remote to engage with an interactive CTV ad.

Behind the numbers: Steady engagement growth suggests that audiences are increasingly willing to engage with CTV ads as the interactive format matures. BrightLine previously proved that interactive ads boost unaided recall by 36%, foot traffic by 13%, and brand affinity by 33%.

The format is effective for several reasons:

• Interactive content—such as shoppable ads—drive measurable actions on screen, allowing brands to achieve bottom-funnel objectives like purchases and conversions in a way that standard CTV formats don’t provide.
• Interactive ads offer a breadth of options beyond shoppable overlays. Emerging opportunities like pause and rewarded ads are proving their potential to drive outcomes, with the former delivering a 34% lift in unaided recall and the latter proving at least somewhat effective across upper-, mid-, and lower-funnel stages.

The interactive advantage: Interactivity is becoming increasingly important as ad loads grow in the CTV ecosystem—for instance, Prime Video is already doubling ad loads after launching its ad business in early 2024.

While this offers more inventory for advertisers, it also significantly increases the risk of ad fatigue, where overexposure causes issues like declining attention, engagement, and brand favorability. Interactive ads help curb fatigue by standing out from conventional formats, offering an engaging, participatory moment that captures attention.

What it means for marketers: Consistent growth in audience engagement with interactive CTV ads means advertisers who haven’t jumped on the interactivity bandwagon risk losing an opportunity to make positive impressions on vast CTV audiences.

As the volume of CTV ads grows, advertisers must take a unique approach that ensures ads stand out from the rest, and interactive formats are the perfect way to maintain strong engagement without feeling overly intrusive. The most effective interactive ads will blend seamlessly with the streaming experience, aligning ads with what the viewer is watching—allowing brands to stand out in a crowded streaming environment.