Access to connected TV (CTV) is inching toward democratization, transforming a high barrier to entry into an accessible landscape for brands with smaller budgets to connect with consumers. AdGood and Magnite illustrate how CTV is evolving from a premium resource to a more inclusive and dynamic marketplace as the format matures.

A leaked Adweek-reviewed file details how The Trade Desk partners with 49 retailers worldwide to sell ad placements built on shopper data. The document reveals steep markups and inconsistent rules: Albertsons charges up to 45% of media costs, Best Buy limits custom audiences, Costco sets $100K minimums, and Walmart imposes fees capped at $3.50 CPMs plus measurement charges. Other retailers add restrictions around ad categories or approvals. The leak highlights both the value and complexity of retail media as brands chase audience targeting tied directly to transactions. Transparency remains a challenge, with costs and conditions varying widely by partner.

Acxiom, IPG Mediabrands, and IRIS.TV have partnered to launch Acxiom Contextual CTV, a privacy-safe targeting tool powered by IRIS_ID. The solution analyzes content context—genre, subject, tone—without using personal identifiers, addressing rising privacy concerns as cookies disappear. Already present in 17–40% of US bidstream inventory, IRIS.TV enables more accurate targeting, while early pilots show higher video completion rates and stronger brand lift. Publishers benefit too, with CPMs rising as much as 25%. With CTV ad sales projected to hit $46.9 billion by 2028, this approach could set a new industry standard for performance, compliance, and contextual relevance.

The news: Disney announced that it will merge Disney+ and Hulu in 2026, a move that could save it $3 billion. The news came after a mixed Q3 FY25 that beat expectations thanks to high spending at Disney theme parks and growth in streaming, but saw advertising revenues fall short of analyst estimates. Our take: Disney’s future success depends on whether merging its core streaming offerings boosts advertiser appeal and a successful sports push that can compete on a similar level as rivals with access to tentpole live events like the Super Bowl.

The news: Amazon will bring inventory from Roku to its demand-side platform (DSP), the two announced at Cannes Lions, starting in Q4 2025. Our take: Amazon’s Roku partnership is a well-timed announcement to convince advertisers to stick with their CTV ecosystems even amid tightening budgets.

The news: Amazon’s Private Auction is quietly reshaping the CTV landscape by introducing more flexible buying on Prime Video. The format allows smaller advertisers and performance marketers to compete for inventory through open bidding, bypassing the need for costly guaranteed placements. As CPMs decline and the demand for agility rises, this move gives brands better control over pricing and access. Our take: While big brands may still favor premium guarantees, Amazon’s shift reflects broader momentum toward programmatic efficiency. By inviting direct-response buyers into the Prime Video ecosystem, Amazon is not just monetizing scale—it’s redefining what CTV access looks like in 2025.

TikTok shifts away from free traffic for US merchants: The change will require businesses to pay for ads for visibility, but TikTok remains a critical touchpoint.

Prime Video offers show-level ad reporting: The move positions it as a testing ground for streaming’s evolution, where transparency matters as much as viewer data.

Why CPMs are falling at Upfronts: Increased inventory and viewership is causing streamers to soften prices during the buying season.

Efforts to keep TikTok in the US grow, but confidence is low: While Democratic senators and Trump float ideas to extend the April deadline, key players are stepping back.

Advertisers are stepping back from TikTok: CPMs fell significantly YoY, but advertisers should focus on diversification, not total abandonment, for the best results.

Amazon’s ad launch will define streaming for years to come: In less than a year, Prime Video became a top dog in streaming advertising.

30-second TV ad spot costs are falling: Football remains the costliest ad inventory, but viewer pivots to digital are bringing down costs.

Election spending caused CPMs to surge: Faced with high costs and a noisy environment, brands experimented with new channels.

Prime Video ad loads will increase next year, increasing competition: Advertisers can expect higher ad loads across streaming services and lower CPMs as a result.

Amazon’s ad portal crashes during Prime Day: Though sales are unlikely to be impacted, the outage highlighted tensions between Amazon and sellers.

Netflix with ads is trailing streaming rivals: The service is struggling to compete with recent entrant Amazon and has lowered CPMs.

How streaming services are adapting to Amazon’s shakeup: The launch of ads on Prime Video in January has forced Netflix and others to lower CPMs to compete.

A shift toward programmatic direct and PMPs in advertising: Open web spending drives sector growth and is forecast to surpass $50 billion by 2025.

Amazon is shaking up the streaming CPM market: Prime Video ads will launch with $30 CPMs at the end of the month in a sign that streaming ad costs are stabilizing.