The CTV Clarity Playbook: Breaking the 5 Myths Holding You Back from Real Growth
How Emerging and Growth-Stage Brands Can Unlock Performance in the Most Underrated Channel in the Game
Everyone Calls It "TV" But Advertisers Need to Know Better
To the average viewer, there’s no difference. Whether it’s Hulu on a Fire Stick, YouTube highlights on a Roku, or Netflix on a smart TV, it’s all just “TV.” The lean-back screen in the living room has regained its dominance. But for marketers, that simplification can be misleading.
Connected TV (CTV), defined as any content streamed to a television screen via internet connection rather than cable or satellite, is a unique hybrid. It marries the scale and emotional resonance of traditional TV with the targeting precision and attribution of digital media.
What was once seen as a branding-only playground for enterprise marketers is now a scalable, measurable channel for emerging and performance-driven brands. The tools have changed. The costs have come down. The audience has grown.
In fact, eMarketer forecasts that over 88% of U.S. households will have at least one CTV device in 2025. That’s not niche reach. That’s mass market penetration, with targeting.
Yet too many growth-stage brands are sitting on the sidelines, slowed by misconceptions that are increasingly outdated.
Let’s bust five of the biggest myths and outline what modern marketers need to know to make CTV work.
Myth 1: “CTV Is Only for Branding”
This myth is the most persistent, and the most limiting. Yes, CTV is powerful for brand lift. But it’s no longer a top-of-funnel-only tool.
Today’s CTV ads can be:
Geo-targeted or behavior-targeted by interest, income, and viewing habits
Designed with interactive elements like QR codes, clickable overlays, or dynamic creative
Synchronized with sequential retargeting across mobile and web
A study from Innovid found that interactive CTV ads drove more than double the engagement of standard pre-roll video ads. And 38% of viewers took action after seeing a CTV ad.
Emerging brands now run CTV not just to “build presence” but to drive immediate results: site visits, coupon downloads, app installs, and more. The “lean-back” screen is now fully capable of triggering lean-forward behavior.
Quote: “The future of TV advertising is measurable, clickable, and accountable.” – Mark Douglas, CEO of MNTN
Myth 2: “CTV Doesn’t Offer Real Targeting”
The fragmentation of platforms, Netflix, Roku, Hulu, YouTube TV, Pluto, and more, might appear chaotic. But under the hood, CTV is one of the most targetable media channels available.
CTV targeting includes:
Contextual placements (sports, cooking, news, kids, etc.)
Behavioral segments (based on app installs, purchase behavior, or browsing)
Household-level geotargeting, income bracket, or lifestyle segmentation
Instead of negotiating individual publisher deals, you can buy programmatically through a demand-side platform (DSP), gaining access to inventory across apps while managing frequency, pacing, and creative dynamically.
Stat: According to IAB, 68% of CTV buyers use first-party data to target audiences, a higher rate than in traditional display or even social video.
CTV lets you stop guessing where your customers are and start targeting how they watch. You are no longer buying “eyeballs.” You are buying intent.
Myth 3: “CTV Is Too Expensive for Smaller Brands”
Five years ago, this was true. But like all digital channels, the economics of CTV have matured. Lower minimum spend thresholds, flexible buying options, and self-serve DSP platforms now make it feasible for mid-market and growth brands to test campaigns without huge upfront commitments.
Some platforms, like MNTN and StackAdapt, allow entry points as low as $10,000. Others offer fully managed services with minimal overhead and real-time attribution.
More importantly, cost-per-completed-view (CPCV) metrics on CTV now rival those of traditional display. And when measured against outcomes (e.g., site visits, conversions), the return on spend often exceeds that of less engaging formats.
Quote: “CTV gives us reach at linear TV quality, but with digital flexibility and pricing. That’s game-changing for growth-stage brands.” – Direct-to-Consumer CMO, quoted in Digiday
Stat: Simulmedia data shows that brands with less than $25,000 in monthly media spend can see 2x better ROI on CTV vs. social video, when campaigns are properly targeted.
Myth 4: “You Can’t Measure CTV Like Other Channels”
Attribution used to be the great weakness of TV. But in CTV, it’s becoming one of the biggest strengths.
Today’s CTV platforms support:
Pixel-based tracking of post-view actions
Cross-device attribution (from TV screen to phone to site)
Brand lift studies and incremental reach analysis
Real-time reporting with view-through and click-through data
Brands can now see not just if someone watched their ad, but whether they visited the site, downloaded the app, or even made a purchase.
Stat: A 2023 report from tvScientific found that 78% of CTV advertisers can now track conversions directly tied to CTV impressions.
This is not guesswork. It’s a closed-loop system with attribution paths that social platforms once claimed as their exclusive edge.
Quote: “CTV is where accountability meets attention. You don’t have to choose anymore.” – Jessica Simpson, SVP of Media Strategy, KERV
Myth 5: “CTV is a Future Channel, Not a Now Channel”
Perhaps the most dangerous myth is the belief that CTV’s best days are ahead of it. In reality, they’re already here.
Viewership has shifted decisively. According to Nielsen, streaming now accounts for 38.7% of total TV usage, surpassing both broadcast and cable. Younger viewers aren’t just watching streaming, they’re skipping cable altogether. And older demographics are catching up quickly.
Meanwhile, ad-supported platforms are booming. FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) services like Tubi, Pluto, and Freevee are seeing explosive growth, especially among value-seeking households. These platforms offer full-length, premium content and massive reach.
And the advertisers who move now? They get a pricing edge, a learning edge, and a relevance edge.
Stat: eMarketer forecasts that CTV ad spending will grow to $30 billion by the end of 2025, up from $21 billion in 2023.
This is not the future. It’s the inflection point.
So What Should Growth-Stage Brands Do?
If you’re an emerging brand looking for scalable, measurable reach, CTV is not optional. It’s essential.
Here’s how to approach it:
Start with a defined audience, not just a placement. Use what you know from social, search, and CRM data to build smart targeting profiles.
Use QR codes, offer overlays, or synced retargeting to create action, not just awareness.
Integrate measurement from day one. Use pixels, attribution partners, and DSP reports to monitor cost per site visit or cost per completed view.
Test and learn like it’s paid search. Rotate creative, adjust frequency, and experiment with dayparting.
Treat your creative like a campaign, not a commercial. Build story arcs, test intros, and make your brand feel personal, even on the biggest screen in the house.
CTV is not a branding vehicle with some fringe benefits. It is a performance channel that happens to carry brand power. It sits at the intersection of intent and immersion.
The brands that will win are not the ones that spend the most. They are the ones who start now, test rigorously, and measure ruthlessly.
Forget what you thought you knew about TV. The living room is now digital. And CTV is the most underpriced, underused, and underappreciated growth engine in modern marketing.
That window is closing. Clarity is your advantage. The rest is execution.
Facts and Stats
1. CTV penetration is massive.
Over 88% of U.S. households will have at least one CTV device by 2025.
Source: eMarketer
2. Interactive CTV ads drive action.
CTV ads with interactive features saw 2x engagement compared to standard pre-roll ads.
Source: Innovid
3. First-party data powers precision.
68% of CTV buyers are using first-party data to target audiences.
Source: IAB
4. CTV offers direct attribution.
78% of CTV advertisers can now track conversions tied directly to CTV impressions.
Source: tvScientific
5. Viewership has shifted.
Streaming accounts for 38.7% of total TV usage, more than broadcast or cable.
Source: Nielsen
6. Ad spend is accelerating.
CTV ad spending is projected to hit $30 billion by the end of 2025.
Source: eMarketer
Ryan Edwards, CAMINO5 | Co-Founder
Ryan Edwards is the Co-Founder and Head of Strategy at CAMINO5, a consultancy focused on digital strategy and consumer journey design. With over 25 years of experience across brand, tech, and marketing innovation, he’s led initiatives for Fortune 500s including Oracle, NBCUniversal, Sony, Disney, and Kaiser Permanente.
Ryan’s work spans brand repositioning, AI-integrated workflows, and full-funnel strategy. He helps companies cut through complexity, regain clarity, and build for what’s next.
Connect on LinkedIn: ryanedwards2