CTV Agency UK
26 million UK households now watch content via Connected TV (Ofcom, 2025). That’s 26 million households you can reach with non-skippable video ads on ITVX, Channel 4, My5, Sky/NOW TV, and programmatic CTV inventory — at a fraction of the cost of traditional linear TV, with audience targeting and measurable attribution that broadcast TV cannot match.
Connected TV (CTV) advertising is the delivery of video ads to viewers watching content on internet-connected television screens. Unlike traditional linear broadcast TV, CTV reaches audiences programmatically — enabling precise demographic, interest, and behavioural targeting rather than buying broad broadcast slots based on assumed programme audiences.
CTV devices include smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Sony), streaming sticks (Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku), and gaming consoles (PlayStation, Xbox). Viewers access content via ad-supported streaming services — including ITVX, Channel 4, My5, UKTV Play, Sky/NOW TV, Amazon Prime Video (ad tier), Disney+ (ad tier), Netflix (ad tier), and YouTube TV. CTV ads are typically non-skippable and watched in the premium, high-attention environment of the living room television screen.
For UK advertisers, CTV bridges the gap between the mass reach of television and the precision targeting and measurability of digital advertising — making it the most powerful brand-building channel for businesses that have outgrown digital-only video but cannot justify traditional TV broadcast budgets.
From UK broadcaster AVOD platforms to international streaming giants and programmatic CTV exchanges — here’s where UK CTV audiences are watching.
ITV’s flagship streaming platform with 20M+ registered users in the UK. ITVX offers highly targeted, non-skippable ad inventory across drama, reality, news, and sport in a premium broadcast environment.
Channel 4’s ad-funded streaming service (formerly All 4) offers non-skippable CTV inventory with advanced audience segmentation based on registered user data across 16M+ accounts.
Channel 5’s streaming service with strong audience reach across factual entertainment, reality, and US drama. My5 inventory is available via direct deals and programmatically through select DSPs.
UKTV’s streaming platform covering Dave, Really, Gold, and W channels. Strong reach across entertainment, comedy, and lifestyle audiences in the 35–54 demographic.
Sky’s streaming platform offers premium sports, drama, and news inventory. Sky AdVance enables advanced audience targeting and attribution across Sky’s substantial UK subscriber base.
Programmatic CTV via The Trade Desk and Google DV360 provides access to aggregated CTV supply across dozens of publishers — including international platforms with UK inventory such as Amazon, Disney+, and Netflix.
Understanding where CTV sits in the video advertising landscape — and why it’s the fastest-growing channel for UK brand advertising.
| Feature | Linear TV | CTV | Social / Digital Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audience Targeting | Broad — by programme or daypart | Precise — demographic, interest, household income, first-party data | Precise — behavioural and interest-based |
| Ad Skippability | Non-skippable | Mostly non-skippable — 90%+ completion rates | Often skippable after 5 seconds |
| Minimum Spend | £50,000+ for meaningful reach | From £3,000–10,000 in media spend | From a few hundred pounds |
| Measurement | Panel-based (BARB) — estimated | Digital — impression-level, cross-device attribution | Digital — impression to conversion tracking |
| Content Environment | Premium broadcast | Premium streaming (broadcaster + SVOD) | Variable — UGC to premium publisher |
| Device & Context | Living room TV, passive viewing | Living room TV, lean-back attention | Mobile, desktop, tablet — scroll context |
From audience strategy to attribution — a fully managed CTV programme built for UK brand advertisers.
We define your target audience using demographic, interest, behavioural, and first-party data signals — building the audience segments that will drive the highest brand impact for your objectives.
We brief your creative team (or our production partners) on platform-specific requirements: aspect ratios, durations, file formats, audio standards, and safe zones for each platform.
We select the optimal platform mix — direct publisher deals vs programmatic CTV — based on your target audience, content environment preferences, and budget.
We set up campaigns, configure targeting, upload creative assets, implement brand safety controls, and launch with daily monitoring of delivery, pacing, and performance.
We measure the impact of CTV exposure on website visits, conversions, and (where applicable) store visits using pixel-based tracking, cross-device identity graphs, and lift measurement studies.
Target the right UK households — by who they are, how they behave, and what they’re watching.
CTV delivers the measurability of digital advertising in a television environment. Here’s how we track performance.
The percentage of ads watched to completion. For non-skippable CTV inventory, VCR typically runs at 85–95% — far above skippable digital video formats. VCR is the primary indicator of creative effectiveness and audience quality.
CTV CPMs in the UK typically range from £12–40 depending on platform, targeting specificity, and content environment. We benchmark CPMs against campaign objectives and optimise buying to deliver the most efficient reach against your target audience.
We measure unique household reach (how many distinct CTV households saw your ad) and frequency (how many times each household was exposed). Optimal frequency for brand recall is typically 3–5 exposures per household per campaign flight.
We use pixel-based tracking and cross-device identity graphs to connect CTV ad exposure to downstream digital actions — website visits, search queries, and conversions on mobile or desktop. For retail clients, TV-to-store visit attribution is also available via location data partnerships.
Connected TV (CTV) advertising is the delivery of video ads to viewers watching content on internet-connected television screens — smart TVs, streaming sticks (Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku), and gaming consoles (PS5, Xbox). Unlike traditional linear TV, CTV delivers ads programmatically, allowing advertisers to target specific audience segments (demographics, interests, household income) rather than buying broad broadcast slots. CTV inventory includes ad-supported streaming services such as ITVX, Channel 4, My5, and UKTV Play in the UK, as well as international platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Netflix (ad-supported tier). Campaigns are typically non-skippable, with completion rates of 90%+.
Bambino runs CTV campaigns across the major UK streaming platforms including ITVX (ITV’s flagship AVOD platform), Channel 4 (All 4 / Channel 4 Streaming), My5 (Channel 5), UKTV Play, Sky/NOW TV, and YouTube TV. We also access a wider range of CTV inventory programmatically through The Trade Desk (TTD) and Google DV360, which aggregate CTV supply across dozens of publishers including international platforms with UK inventory. Platform selection is driven by your target audience, content environment, and budget — we recommend the optimal mix during campaign planning.
CTV advertising requires video creative formatted specifically for television screens. Standard requirements include: 16:9 aspect ratio, minimum 1920x1080px (Full HD), MP4 or MOV format, durations of 15 or 30 seconds (most platforms accept both), with audio on (CTV viewers watch on TV speakers, unlike mobile or desktop). Some platforms also accept 6-second pre-roll bumpers. Unlike social video ads, CTV creative is typically non-skippable and watched at close attention on a large screen — so production quality matters significantly more than in social or display contexts. Bambino provides a full creative specification brief as part of every CTV engagement.
Bambino’s CTV advertising management starts from £5,000/month, inclusive of campaign management, audience strategy, and reporting. Media spend (the actual budget paid to platforms for ad delivery) is in addition to the management fee and depends on your target reach, frequency, and CPM. Minimum media budgets vary by platform — direct ITVX campaigns typically require £10,000+ in media spend, while programmatic CTV via TTD or DV360 allows more flexible budgets from around £3,000–£5,000 in media. We always model reach and frequency projections before campaign launch so you know exactly what your budget will deliver.
CTV campaign measurement includes: Video Completion Rate (VCR — the percentage of ads watched to completion, typically 85–95% for non-skippable CTV), CPM (cost per thousand impressions), Reach and Frequency (unique households exposed and how many times), and attribution to downstream actions. For attribution, we use pixel-based tracking to measure web visits and conversions from households exposed to CTV ads, cross-device identity graphs to connect CTV exposure to desktop or mobile conversion events, and (where available) store visit attribution for physical retail clients. All metrics are reported monthly in a client dashboard alongside campaign optimisation recommendations.
CTV and YouTube are both video advertising channels but differ significantly in context, audience, and format. CTV reaches viewers watching long-form, premium content on their television in a lean-back, high-attention environment — typically in the evening with family. YouTube reaches viewers on mobile, desktop, and TV across user-generated and professional content. CTV ads are typically non-skippable with completion rates of 90%+, while many YouTube formats are skippable after 5 seconds. CTV CPMs are higher than YouTube but the premium content environment and non-skippable format often deliver stronger brand recall and consideration uplift. For brand-building at scale, CTV and YouTube advertising complement each other well as part of a video advertising strategy.
Yes — CTV advertising is increasingly accessible to businesses beyond large brand advertisers, particularly through programmatic CTV buying via platforms like The Trade Desk and DV360. Programmatic CTV allows more flexible budget entry points than direct platform deals, granular audience targeting (so you only pay to reach your actual target demographic), and geographic targeting down to regional and local levels — useful for regional UK businesses wanting TV-style reach without national broadcast wastage. That said, CTV advertising still requires a minimum level of production quality creative and a sufficient media budget to generate meaningful reach. We advise on whether CTV is the right fit for your budget and objectives during a free initial consultation.
CTV advertising works best as part of a broader video and paid media strategy.
Pair CTV with YouTube for full-funnel video reach — TV screens for brand-building, YouTube for lower-funnel retargeting.
Learn more →Creative strategy and video production briefing optimised for CTV, YouTube, and social video formats.
Learn more →Retarget audiences who saw your CTV ads across Facebook and Instagram for a compounding brand impact.
Learn more →Get a free CTV consultation. We’ll model your projected reach, frequency, and attribution based on your target audience, budget, and campaign objectives — so you know exactly what CTV can deliver before you commit.
No commitment. No pressure. Honest advice from our CTV advertising specialists.