In 2024, over 75% of U.S. households streamed video through Connected TVs. CTV isn’t just another screen. It’s a data-rich, performance-ready platform reshaping how audiences engage and how brands convert attention into action.

Connected TV (CTV) didn’t storm the gates of media consumption overnight. In the earlier days, it was a novelty. If you saw such a thing in someone’s house, you may have gotten a little jealous. Then, it became a convenience, and now, it is a fundamental shift in how brands and audiences connect. This wasn’t just about watching shows online. It was a redefinition of the television itself.

Early Days and Initial Roadblocks

When connected TVs first hit the market, expectations were modest. They were marketed as smart, but clunky interfaces and sluggish performance made them feel anything but.

Manufacturers bundled streaming into traditional TVs, but the experience was inconsistent. Apps crashed, remote controls weren’t intuitive, and networks weren’t fast enough. For many, it was easier to plug in a laptop than navigate a glitchy UI.

Then, there was content fragmentation. Viewers had to juggle between multiple subscriptions on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Amazon Prime without any central dashboard. That’s not how people want to relax. They want their favourite shows, not an admin panel.

Advertisers, meanwhile, didn’t know where to start. There was no standardization in measurement, formats, or delivery. It was too chaotic to be taken seriously as a performance channel.

The Turnaround with UX, Data, and Ad Tech

The user experience with CTV has improved because it had to. Interfaces have become cleaner, navigation smoother, and voice-enabled search, AI-driven recommendations, and app integration have caught up with expectations.

TV manufacturers soon realised that smart features weren’t extras. People were specifically looking for these features. Roku OS, Android TV, and Fire TV transformed connected TVs from clumsy gadgets into polished ecosystems.

Ad tech followed as platforms like The Trade Desk and Magnite made CTV advertising more programmatic, allowing brands to buy impressions with the same precision they expected from web and mobile.

Measurement caught up as well, with completion rates, household reach, and incremental lift becoming easier to track. Brands could finally treat CTV as both a reach and a performance tool.

One of the most significant breakthroughs came when server-side ad insertion (SSAI) became mainstream. It eliminated buffering and ad blockers, making advertising seamless within the streaming experience. The format matured into something brands could scale, and that’s when things really took off.

Global Surge and Changing Consumption

Like most technologies, North America led the initial charge. But today, growth is global and intense. In the UK, over 80% of households use some form of connected TV. Germany, France, and the Nordics follow closely. However, the real story is how CTV is reshaping habits in emerging markets.

In Latin America, CTV use jumped 55% yearly, driven by better broadband access and demand for flexible viewing. Brazil saw ad impressions across CTV platforms more than double between 2022 and 2023. South Africa and Nigeria are seeing similar trends, with telcos partnering with streaming services to bundle data and entertainment.

In Southeast Asia, connected TVs are becoming standard in middle-class homes. Urban families want one screen that serves as both an entertainment hub and a learning device. From Netflix and YouTube to local content and OTT news platforms, connected TVs now do it all.

How Connected TV Is Changing Gaming

Gaming is no longer just about a simple PlayStation either. Connected TV is helping players access high-quality games directly through their smart TVs. Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Nvidia GeForce NOW, and even Google Stadia (before it shut down) have shown that you no longer need expensive hardware. A good TV and a stable internet connection are enough.

This shift is also changing how games make money. With Connected TV, advertisers can show targeted ads during gameplay or between levels. These ads are often skippable, interactive, or offer in-game rewards. This feels natural for younger players. It’s gaming and advertising working together without getting in the way.

Affordability Was Crucial As Always

A major tipping point was affordability. The cost of manufacturing connected TVs plummeted due to two key innovations:

• The commoditisation of SoC (system-on-chip) processors
• Economies of scale from OEM consolidation.

TCL, Hisense, and Xiaomi began mass-producing smart TVs using standardised chipsets, significantly reducing unit costs. A 43-inch 4K smart TV that cost over $500 in 2016 could be found for under $250 by 2022.

Operating systems became licensing platforms. Roku, for example, partnered directly with hardware brands, embedding its software at the factory level.

This cut down development costs for TV makers and allowed consumers to buy reliable, up-to-date models at half the price they used to pay. It was a market strategy that widened access dramatically.

A Glimpse at Asia

In India, smart TVs now account for over 90% of all TV shipments, up from just 45% in 2018. Affordable models from Realme, Vu, and Redmi are fueling adoption in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. With regional content booming on platforms like Hotstar and SonyLIV, viewership is growing far beyond the metros.

However, adoption in Bangladesh is slower, but the direction is clear. Urban families are replacing traditional sets with smart TVs, and brands like Vision and Walton have jumped into the market with competitively priced models.

Local app ecosystems in our country are still catching up, but YouTube and Netflix dominate usage. Bangladeshi OTT platforms like Chorki, Bongo, Bioscope, etc., are also emerging.

CTV ad inventory is still underutilised, meaning first movers have the advantage. If a brand wants to be remembered in Dhaka, this is the time to move.

Why It Matters for Brands

Gone are the days when CTV was just “TV with internet.” It’s an addressable, measurable, dynamic medium that plays on the biggest screen in the home. Traditional TV was a billboard. Connected TV is a conversation. And more importantly, it’s a conversation brands can track.

Brands no longer have to choose between reach and precision. This is what makes CTV powerful because it offers both. You can run a national campaign but serve tailored ads to different regions, households, or even interests.

And unlike social or search, you’re not competing for attention on a 5-inch screen. You’re front and centre, literally.

Take the example of a US-based DTC mattress company. They ran parallel campaigns across Meta, YouTube, and CTV. CTV delivered the highest completion rates and lowest cost per completed view.

Surprisingly, the highest assisted conversions were not direct clicks but visits that happened after the ad, often on a different device. The lingering influence is CTV’s edge.

What’s Next?

Connected TVs are still maturing, but they are quite affordable now. Innovations in shoppable video, AI-driven ad sequencing, and contextual creative promise to unlock new formats entirely. Expect voice-enabled ads where users can say “Yes” to learn more.

We’re not far from predictive ad personalisation. CTV platforms are learning what kind of tone, frequency, and pacing each household prefers. With its Fire TV ecosystem, Amazon is already blending purchase history with ad delivery. Netflix, now in the ad game, is sitting on a goldmine of viewing data. The lines between streaming content and e-commerce are beginning to blur.

Connected TV has evolved from a clunky novelty into a powerful, data-rich channel that sits at the intersection of entertainment, technology, and commerce. Its rise signals more than just a change in how content is consumed—it’s a fundamental redefinition of the living room experience and how brands engage with audiences. As smart TVs become more affordable and accessible across global markets, CTV is leveling the playing field, offering precision, scale, and immersive storytelling opportunities that were once out of reach for many advertisers. For brands, the message is clear: CTV is no longer a future trend—it’s a present imperative. Those who adapt early will not only capture attention but also shape the future of audience engagement.

Author: Nusrat Jahan