Connected TV (CTV) is one of the most powerful and important platforms for reaching consumers - and we predict that in 2025 the essential role that a brand's ad creative plays in the success of an ad campaign will go from being a calculated experiment to becoming the 'standard' for any forward thinking brand, media buyer or creative team.
In this article we explain why.
The growing popularity of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Tubi is giving advertisers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with audiences in a more controlled way. However, the effectiveness of their CTV advertising campaigns is not solely dependent on the channels they choose, but also on the creative message they are delivering and the way in which they are targeting specific message to specific audiences at home.
The emergence of cutting-edge creative solutions and services provided by companies such as Origin means brands can now deliver specific messages and visuals to specific audiences - a practice that has proven to maximize the effectiveness of CTV campaigns, drive better engagement, conversion rates and overall ROI.
The Importance of Personal and Relevant Ad Creative in CTV
As you will see in these Origin case studies, ad creatives that are personal and relevant resonate with viewers on a deeper level, a fact that is essential in today’s consumer-driven advertising ecosystem. Personalization in advertising refers to tailoring the message to an individual’s preferences, behaviors, and needs.
Through data insights such as location, demographic information, device usage, time of day and the first data a brand might have such as loyalty or store membership, advertisers can create ad creatives that align with a viewer's specific interests.
Relevant ad creative refers to content that speaks directly to the viewer’s current context.
Look at it as a tiered opportunity:
At the most basic level, an ad promoting a new summer clothing line might be more relevant in the spring, or a fitness app ad may perform better when aired in conjunction with New Year’s resolution-related programming.
Going deeper, effective CTV ad creatives might also be targeted to resonate with the emotional tone of the show being watched. CTV’s diverse content environment offers advertisers a variety of genres and formats, from dramas to sports events, meaning that the creative elements of an ad can be aligned with the specific mood or context of the content being consumed.
Where it gets really interesting, and where Origin leads the field, is when you extend relevance and personalization into the message itself. Imagine:
Targeting residents of a community which has just seen 3 feet of snow with a one day flash sale on snow shovels.
Targeting single males with high incomes and a history of buying skiing equipment with messaging and visuals that relate to wealthy skiers.
Targeting previously loyal store customers with incentives aligned with the last purchase they made vs currently loyal customers who might see an ad about something new that they might need.
Personalized and relevant ads are far more likely to capture a viewer’s attention. Research shows that personalized advertising can increase ROAS by up to 76% (see case study here), as it provides consumers with content that feels less like an intrusion and more like an invitation to engage with something they might actually be interested in. When viewers feel that an ad is tailored to their preferences, they are more likely to watch the full commercial, interact with it, and take action, whether that’s clicking a link, downloading an app, or making a purchase.
Synergy Between Tailored Messaging and Targeting: A Powerful Combination
When ad creatives include dynamic creative elements that allow them to align with precise audiences, the combination can be extremely potent. For instance, a luxury car dealership in a specific town that is targeting high-net-worth individuals within 3 miles who are single and into skiing could create a sophisticated ad that quite literally includes messaging about how you can stack your skis on the roof of your 2 seater sports car. By combining the creative message with data-driven targeting, the brand maximizes the chances of generating engagement and driving purchases.
Moreover, CTV's ability to track viewers' interactions with ads in real-time further strengthens the synergy between creative and targeting. In addition to conducting ongoing measurement studies, advertisers can analyze metrics such as view-through rates, frequency and store visits/website click rates, allowing them to fine-tune their creative messaging and audience segmentation for future campaigns. This continuous feedback loop ensures that the ads evolve over time, becoming more effective at engaging the target audience.
Engagement: The Heart of Effective CTV Ads
Engagement is an essential ingredient of success in any advertising campaign, and in CTV, the creative plays a pivotal role in driving that engagement. Engaging ad creatives are those that not only capture attention but also maintain it. A CTV ad must fit seamlessly into the viewing experience, be visually compelling, and offer a narrative that aligns with the viewer's interests.
One of the unique advantages of CTV advertising is that it often occurs in an environment where viewers are more receptive to ads compared to traditional broadcast or cable TV. Since most CTV viewers actively choose what to watch, ad creatives need to be both engaging and non-intrusive. Unlike traditional TV advertising, where a viewer may be passively consuming content and may not have a strong personal connection to the programming, CTV ads are most often running in shows which the viewer has actively and specifically elected to watch.
Furthermore, CTV allows for interactive ads such as those that invite audiences to scan a QR code (see nationwide QR code survey here). Other creative techniques, such as storytelling, humor, or emotional appeal, can make ads more memorable and effective in generating both short-term responses and long-term brand loyalty.
The Role of Audience Targeting in Amplifying Creative Effectiveness
While personal, relevant, and engaging ad creative is essential, its effectiveness is significantly enhanced when combined with accurate and precise audience targeting. CTV platforms offer advertisers rich data about their viewers, including demographic details (such as age, gender, and location), behavioral data (such as content preferences and purchase intent), and contextual information (such as the time of day or type of program being watched).
With this data, advertisers can not only target the right people but also ensure that the ad creative they present is appropriate for that audience.
The key to successful audience targeting is segmenting viewers into specific groups based on shared characteristics and behaviors. For instance, an advertiser might choose to target fitness enthusiasts with a commercial for a new sportswear line. By doing so, they can craft an ad that emphasizes performance features, durability, and style - elements that resonate with the target audience. Additionally, targeting an audience that is interested in health and wellness content ensures the ad is seen in a relevant context, boosting its impact.
Furthermore, CTV platforms enable advanced targeting strategies, such as geo-targeting, which delivers location-based ads, or dayparting, which schedules ads to run at specific times when a particular audience segment is most likely to be watching. These strategies ensure that the ad creative reaches the right audience at the optimal time, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Conclusion
The power of CTV advertising lies not just in the medium itself, but in how effectively brands leverage personalization, relevance, and engagement in their creative content, combined with the precision of audience targeting.
Personal, relevant, and engaging ad creatives capture the viewer's attention, foster deeper connections, and drive stronger responses. When paired with targeted strategies that reach the right audience at the right time, these creatives have the potential to transform advertising from a mere commercial interruption into a meaningful, engaging experience.
The success advertisers will see in 2025 hinges on the seamless synergy of dynamic creative messaging and directly correlative audience targeting - a combination that has already proven can yield impressive returns for brands in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
If you'd like to speak with an Origin specialist about anything you've read in this article - click here.
Origin is an award winning provider of creative solutions and services for brands, creative teams and media agencies who want to transform conventional CTV ad creatives into powerful, personal and provocative advertising experiences.
With unparalleled dynamic creative capabilities and proprietary ad serving technology, Origin’s suite of dynamic ad overlays and native ad extensions allow advertisers to engage distracted audiences and achieve the outcomes they seek.
Founded by media veterans Stephen Strong and Fred Godfrey, Origin is driven by the belief that winning viewers today requires breaking free from how it was done yesterday.
Learn more at: originmedia.tv
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