The 2024 Olympic Games marked a major inflection point in the rise of connected TV advertising.
After a slower year in 2023, the channel exploded in 2024, fueled by the successful monetization of live events—particularly the Olympics—as well as years of sustained investment in content, new ad formats, and user acquisition. Now, CTV ad spend is expected to see double-digit growth through 2029.
For many advertisers, the Games served as a proving ground for the brand visibility and audience engagement that live sports can deliver on CTV. And with streaming platforms racing to secure sports broadcasting rights, live programming is poised to become a central pillar of CTV strategy.
While the broader CTV market is maturing, the live CTV space remains relatively nascent. As marketers look to make smarter media investments, understanding the value of live content, how the ecosystem is evolving, and what it takes to activate effectively will be key.
From engagement, to reach, to relevance, live CTV offers advertisers unique conditions for forging strong connections with audiences in real time.
One of the biggest advantages of advertising on live content lies in viewer mindset. Live content audiences tend to be more focused and emotionally invested in what they have committed to watch at a very specific time. This heightened attention can translate to higher engagement and ad recall.
Live content also allows advertisers to meet audiences where they are. With digital sports viewership now outpacing traditional TV sports viewership, live CTV has become the new home for real-time fan engagement.
And, crucially, live CTV advertising gives brands the opportunity to be part of cultural moments that matter. Tapping into these shared experiences can help brands deepen emotional resonance and reinforce relevance with target audiences.
To make the most of the live CTV advertising opportunity, advertisers need to consider how the marketing funnel is evolving—both within connected TV and across the broader digital landscape.
Historically, CTV (like linear TV) has been viewed as an upper-funnel channel best suited for brand awareness plays. However, as shoppable and interactive formats mature and attribution capabilities improve, CTV is proving to be a conversion powerhouse as well.
Live CTV takes this a step further. Thanks to the heightened attention and engagement it commands, live content can prompt immediate action even more effectively, with ads shown during live programming driving 43% larger average transaction values compared to those shown during non-live environments.
This evolution isn’t limited to CTV. Across the board—from holiday shopping behaviors to the rise of social commerce and commerce media more broadly—the traditional marketing funnel is collapsing. In this context, live CTV’s proven strength in brand awareness and expanding potential for performance makes it well positioned to play a central role in the next era of digital marketing, as full-funnel approaches take center stage.
Driving impact with live CTV requires advertisers to tailor their strategies to the dynamics of the channel.
To start, marketing teams should lean into the relevance of real-time moments and align their creative with specific events—think sports- or regionally-themed ads during live sports events, award-themed ads during award shows, and messaging tailored to the time of day an event takes place. This could also look like leveraging dynamic creative optimization (DCO) to create content based on specific moments within those events.
The right collaborators and integrations are also essential. For example, Disney Live Certified DSPs empower advertisers with the ability to scale and respond to bids on live content in real time, adapt to spikes in live viewership, stay responsive to shifting demand, and more.
From a conversion standpoint, tapping into high-impact formats such as shoppable or interactive ads—like pause ads or ads containing QR codes—can help advertisers take advantage of live CTV’s lower-funnel opportunities.
And, as with any channel, live CTV must be thoughtfully integrated into an omnichannel approach. Pairing it with digital, mobile, and social touchpoints allows for cohesive re-messaging and deeper engagement. For instance, a viewer might see a brand during a live game on TV, then again in a post-game highlight on social, or in a mobile sports app that same evening.
Frequency capping is also key. Because live audiences are highly engaged, repetitive ads can quickly lead to fatigue and negative brand sentiment. Sequencing creative across channels and using tactics like dayparting can ensure brand messages stay fresh and timely throughout the customer journey.
By activating strategies intentionally in these ways, advertisers can craft dynamic, responsive campaigns that meet the moment and move the needle with audiences.
As live content becomes an increasingly central part of the streaming landscape, live CTV offers advertisers a powerful way to capture attention, build relevance, and drive action. By understanding how the channel is evolving and approaching it with strategic creativity and precision, marketers can turn live moments into lasting impact.
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With baseball, football, basketball, and more hitting the live streaming lineup this fall, now’s the time for advertisers to step up to the plate, tackle their biggest challenges, and set themselves up for a slam dunk marketing season. Check out Going Deep on Live Sports Advertising Opportunities to explore how brands can make the most of live sports on CTV and beyond.
