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Connected TV (CTV) is steadily moving from the periphery of brand strategies to the centre of marketing conversations in India. This shift was evident at the recent e4m & Teads Custom Roundtable (CRT) in Bengaluru, where leading marketers and media professionals came together to debate how CTV is transforming audience engagement, brand building, and campaign measurement, and what it will take for the medium to achieve its full potential.
The session, titled “Navigating the Digital Tide: How CTV is Reshaping Media”, brought together Aparna Tadikonda, Executive Vice President, Interactive Avenues; Riddhi Pimputkar, Director – Enterprise Solutions (India), Teads; Anushree Tapuriah, Global Lead – Paid Media & Digital Advertising, Thoughtworks; Abhinav Narayan, Brand Marketing Head, Ajio; Deepak Kumar, Media Buyer, ITC; Saurabh Tyagi, Group Manager – Media & PR, Titan; Shikha Mazumdar, AVP – HOM, HomeCenter-Lifestyle; Varun Oberoi, Head – Marketing, Nissin Foods; and Ayushi Singh, AGM & Lead – Growth, Muthoot FinCorp ONE.
The Reach–Relevance Balancing Act
One of the first themes that emerged in the discussion was the evolving relationship between traditional TV and CTV. Marketers noted that while linear television still delivers large-scale reach, its grip is loosening as audiences migrate to digital platforms. The challenge, many agreed, is determining where to invest finite budgets: in TV’s broad but declining reach, or in CTV’s smaller yet more premium and engaged audience base. Participants acknowledged that CTV offers several advantages over TV including precision targeting, immersive storytelling formats, and measurable engagement. In certain categories, especially those targeting niche or high-value audiences, brand recall and conversion rates from CTV are already outpacing traditional TV. Yet, despite these benefits, adoption remains cautious. Most marketers still treat CTV as a complement rather than a replacement for TV. The decision often comes down to audience size and campaign objectives. For brands chasing tens of millions of highly targeted consumers, CTV can be more efficient. For those seeking to reach hundreds of millions, TV still provides cost-effective mass coverage. Seasonality, product type, and purchase involvement also influence the mix. As one participant pointed out, the platform choice is not always a straight swap — the two channels can work together, with TV driving mass awareness and CTV providing depth, personalisation, and sharper performance metrics.
Consistency Across Screens
Another recurring point during the roundtable was the importance of cross-platform consistency. Consumers are no longer confined to a single device, they switch fluidly between CTV, mobile, desktop, and even traditional media throughout their daily routines. This connected behaviour demands that marketers maintain a coherent brand message across all touchpoints. Speakers described an increasingly common full-funnel approach: use CTV for top-of-funnel storytelling, retarget viewers on mobile based on their behaviour, engage mid-funnel audiences through influencers or creators, and finally drive them toward marketplaces or brand websites for conversion. When executed well, this approach doesn’t just extend campaign reach, it ensures each channel plays a clear role in moving consumers from awareness to purchase. CTV’s ability to create a premium, lean-back viewing experience is seen as a powerful tool for building brand affinity, while mobile’s agility makes it ideal for closing the loop with targeted offers and calls to action.
Creativity as a Differentiator
With more brands testing CTV, the competition for viewer attention is intensifying. Participants agreed that creative innovation will be essential to stand out in a growing inventory pool. Marketers shared examples of interactive and immersive formats designed to break through the clutter. One notable approach involved embedding static QR codes in CTV ads to trigger augmented reality (AR) experiences, turning passive viewers into active participants. Early results from such innovations have shown engagement lifts of 10–15% compared to standard ad formats. There was also discussion around tailoring creative assets to specific funnel stages. At the top of the funnel, emotional and aspirational storytelling can capture attention. Mid-funnel assets can focus on product features or use cases, while lower-funnel content can push time-sensitive offers or incentives. This level of creative sequencing, even within the CTV environment, can guide viewers more effectively toward conversion.
CTV’s Place in the Media Mix
While linear TV is unlikely to disappear in the near term, its role is being redefined. In some categories, especially those where mass awareness is still critical, TV will remain a staple. But as audience behaviour shifts, CTV offers an increasingly compelling alternative, one that blends the reach of television with the precision and interactivity of digital. For now, many brands are adopting a hybrid approach, using TV for broad coverage and CTV for targeted, data-driven engagement. The consensus at the roundtable was clear: early movers who master CTV’s capabilities now will be better positioned to benefit as the medium matures and becomes a default choice for Indian advertisers. The digital tide is rising, and in the years ahead, CTV may well become one of the strongest currents shaping the future of media in India.
Data, Attribution, and the Measurement Challenge
While CTV’s targeting capabilities are a key draw, its measurement and attribution models are still developing. Unlike traditional TV’s panel-based reach metrics, CTV requires more sophisticated tracking to establish direct links between ad exposure and outcomes. Several marketers described the challenge of low direct click-through rates on CTV, with QR scans still a niche behaviour. To compensate, they are tracking indirect signals such as uplifts in direct traffic, premium-user acquisition, or performance on retargeted mobile campaigns. UTM parameters attached to CTV campaigns, combined with mobile retargeting, have proved useful in attributing results, as mobile ads often deliver significantly higher click-through rates. However, the group agreed that the real breakthrough may come from clean room technology. By securely matching brands’ first-party data with platform data without breaching privacy laws, clean rooms can provide a definitive view of how CTV advertising influences purchase behaviour. Some platforms are already experimenting with household targeting and remarketing to bridge this gap. When such attribution becomes robust and widely accepted, participants predicted, CTV could attract significantly larger budget allocations.
Personalisation and Influencer Integration
The conversation also turned to personalisation. AI-driven creative optimisation is enabling brands to deliver hyper-targeted experiences on CTV, adjusting messaging, visuals, and even product recommendations based on geography, demographics, or viewing history. Mid-funnel strategies are also evolving with the integration of influencer and user-generated content into CTV campaigns. Traditionally confined to social platforms, these formats are now appearing on larger screens, combining the authenticity of influencer messaging with the high production values of CTV. This approach is proving especially effective in categories where social proof is a strong driver of purchase intent.
The Rise of Tier-3 Viewership
For some attendees, one of the most eye-opening trends was the growing penetration of CTV in Tier-3 markets. While adoption in metros and Tier-1 cities is well established, brands are now seeing promising results from campaigns in smaller towns, not only for consumer marketing but also for employer branding and category education. These findings challenge the assumption that CTV is purely a metro phenomenon. As internet penetration and smart TV affordability improve, marketers are increasingly willing to experiment with regional and rural targeting on connected platforms.
Looking Ahead: Innovation on the Horizon
The roundtable concluded with a forward-looking discussion on where CTV is headed in India, with participants predicting significant innovation across formats, targeting, and commerce. Interactive ad experiences from shoppable videos to gamified campaigns are expected to become more mainstream, inviting viewers to engage rather than passively consume. AI-driven hyperpersonalisation will likely take centre stage, enabling real-time creative adjustments based on a viewer’s location, preferences, and behaviour. Cross-device storytelling is also poised to grow, with brands weaving seamless narratives across CTV, mobile, desktop, and even offline touchpoints to ensure consistency and recall. Emerging technologies such as virtual try-ons and AR integrations could further transform engagement, allowing viewers to scan a QR code during a CTV ad and instantly experience an immersive product trial on their mobile devices. Direct e-commerce integration is another major opportunity, where purchases can be made directly through the TV interface without disrupting the viewing experience. With smart TV penetration projected to reach 85–90 million households in the next year, the addressable audience for CTV is expanding at pace. Combined with advances in measurement, creative formats, and targeting, this growth could push CTV from being an experimental channel to becoming a central pillar of the Indian media mix.
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