By the end of 2025, CTV will overtake linear TV in key metrics like viewing share, viewing households, time spent, and content spending. CTV ad spend with then be set to surpass traditional TV spend in 2028.

Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) is becoming an increasingly important part of the connected TV (CTV) landscape as audience interest skyrockets, per a new Wurl study. Brands can view FAST as a core part of the CTV media mix, leveraging early-adopter advantages while continuing to invest in paid subscription services like Netflix that have lower churn rates.

Netflix and Amazon Ads have struck a global partnership to bring Netflix’s ad inventory to Amazon’s demand-side platform (DSP) across 12 markets, including the US, UK, France, Japan, and Brazil. The move expands Netflix’s programmatic footprint as it aims to nearly double US ad revenues this year and approach $3 billion globally by 2027. For Amazon, adding Netflix strengthens its DSP’s position; the deal underscores a shift toward centralized TV planning, where Amazon’s DSP increasingly serves as the central gateway for connected TV advertising.

This is the first installment of our “Canada Ad Spending Benchmarks” series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.

This is the first installment of our “Canada Ad Spending Benchmarks” series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.

The news: Roku launched Howdy, a streaming service for just $2.99 per month. It will initially be available through the Roku platform, with further rollout on mobile and beyond in the works.Our take: With 2.5% of all TV watch time—more than any other FAST provider—Roku has the audience to promote Howdy effectively. It must ensure that Howdy feels essential, not disposable, and that its content delivers real value. Still, with price sensitivity increasing and tolerance for ads shrinking, Howdy has clear appeal—especially among users seeking affordable streaming without sacrificing experience. If Roku executes on distribution and content strategy, Howdy could quietly scale into a meaningful revenue stream. Our take: With 2.5% of all TV watch time—more than any other FAST provider—Roku has the audience to promote Howdy effectively. It must ensure that Howdy feels essential, not disposable, and that its content delivers real value. Still, with price sensitivity increasing and tolerance for ads shrinking, Howdy has clear appeal—especially among users seeking affordable streaming without sacrificing experience. If Roku executes on distribution and content strategy, Howdy could quietly scale into a meaningful revenue stream. Our take: With 2.5% of all TV watch time—more than any other FAST provider—Roku has the audience to promote Howdy effectively. It must ensure that Howdy feels essential, not disposable, and that its content delivers real value. Still, with price sensitivity increasing and tolerance for ads shrinking, Howdy has clear appeal—especially among users seeking affordable streaming without sacrificing experience. If Roku executes on distribution and content strategy, Howdy could quietly scale into a meaningful revenue stream.

The news: WPP Media launched a “first-of-its-kind activation” with ad-tech company Criteo, marking the first big advancement in WPP’s “Open Intelligence” data platform for connected TV (CTV). The activation, built to offer “more value for advertisers," is currently being tested with Samsung, Roku, and Scripps. While more specific details were not provided, WPP Media stated in a press release that the pilot provides “premium supply with real-time commerce signals” from Criteo. Our take: WPP Media and Criteo’s partnership solidifies CTV as a performance-centric channel, giving advertisers new tools to target high-intent shoppers and drive measurable outcomes at scale.

Our midyear report revisits the top trends we named in early 2025 to see what’s shaping the market, evolving fast, or fading in the rearview mirror.

PubMatic has launched an AI-powered Live Sports Marketplace to enhance the value of live sports advertising by placing programmatic ads at high-engagement moments. The platform uses real-time signals—from viewer behavior to game dynamics—to time ads for maximum impact. With partners including FanServ, Roku, and major leagues like the NBA and MLB, the marketplace consolidates fragmented inventory across platforms. As digital sports viewership overtakes linear, and programmatic CTV spending continues to rise, PubMatic’s innovation offers flexibility, scale, and precision in a format where timing is everything. Advertisers gain tools to optimize performance at the moment audiences are most engaged.

At Cannes Lions 2025, commerce media partnerships once again reigned supreme. Once the domain of digital shelf tactics and retail data, commerce media is now reshaping how brands show up across social platforms, connected TV (CTV), and in-store displays. This year’s festival offered a glimpse into a more integrated, AI-driven future—one where conversational ads, programmatic pipes, and real-world touchpoints blur the lines between media and purchase.

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: Dick’s Sporting Goods’ retail media arm, Dick’s Media, is partnering with Roku to bring its shopper data to connected TV, per Adweek. Our take: Dick’s sees retail media as a long-term growth engine, and its partnership with Roku should enhance its ability to compete with larger players by combining rich loyalty data with precise streaming insights. While Dick’s Media already offered brands a robust mix of in-store and digital ad opportunities, the expanded Roku partnership enables more targeted, measurable, and high-impact campaigns—especially as connected TV becomes a core pillar in the modern advertising mix.

Canada trails just one country—the US—in average daily time spent with media. That means plenty of opportunity for media buyers to reach audiences across a range of devices and services.

Retail media ad spending in France, Germany, and the UK continues to rise, outpacing all other ad formats. The space is developing rapidly despite fragmentation and a lack of standards.

Tariffs threaten to reduce US digital ad spending growth this year. This series explains the effects tariffs will have on ad spending in search, social, CTV, and retail media—and which parts of each might fare best and worst.

Digital ad giants beat Q1 expectations, but tariffs, regulation, and slowing growth signal choppy waters ahead. This report breaks down which platforms are thriving, which are stalling, and what’s next for search, social, streaming, and retail media.

FAST shows no signs of slowing down: From the Roku Channel to Tubi, FAST continues a path of acceleration that will be bolstered by economic uncertainty.

CTV ad spending has seen double-digit growth in recent years, but tariffs and economic uncertainty could lead to a flat 2025.

Advertisers battle economic difficulties as they head into upfront negotiations.

Roku delivered strong Q1 results and acquired Frndly TV: The deal boosts live content and supports subscription growth without overspending.