Executive Summary

As the TV industry undergoes significant disruption, advertisers are spending more money on ads shown on internet-enabled connected TVs. For a variety of technical and business reasons, viewership has flocked to connected TV (CTV) platforms quicker than ad spending has. But advertiser investment in CTV is ramping up as more inventory becomes available.

How much will US advertisers spend on CTV?

We estimate that CTV ad spending in the US will reach $6.94 billion this year, and by 2021, it will total $10.81 billion.

What percentage of US connected TV ad dollars will transact programmatically?

In 2019, 50.6% of CTV ads will be bought or fulfilled programmatically, and that figure will increase to 59.4% in 2021, according to our estimates.

Which companies are making the most money from connected TV advertising?

YouTube ads shown on CTV devices will account for about 40% of US CTV ad spending this year. Hulu and Roku are the next largest recipients of CTV ad dollars, and together, they account for about 30% of CTV ad spending.

What are the biggest challenges advertisers face with connected TV?

The inventory is fragmented, making it difficult to measure and plan. Ad fraud and frequency capping are other serious concerns.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report presents our inaugural US CTV ad spending forecast and discusses factors contributing to its growth in the near future.

KEY STAT: We estimate that US advertisers will spend $6.94 billion on CTV ads this year. By 2023, that figure will reach $14.12 billion.