CTV Formats: According to a recent report, the rapid rise of streaming has not been matched by innovation in Connected TV advertising—and that disconnect could be costing brands billions in missed impact.
The study, titled “The Architecture of Attention: Why Nonstandard CTV Is the New Standard for Impact,” published by TripleLift, reveals that 49% of connected TV campaigns still rely on traditional 15- and 30-second ad formats originally designed for linear television.
The Streaming Boom Is Outpacing Ad Innovation
Consumer behavior has fundamentally shifted. In May 2025, streaming officially surpassed cable and broadcast TV in U.S. viewing share, according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, ad-supported streaming now represents 74.2% of total TV consumption.
Forecasts from WARC indicate that Connected TV advertising spend will overtake linear TV by 2030, reinforcing the channel’s dominance.
Yet, despite this transformation, the creative approach has barely evolved.
“CTV is one of the fastest-growing channels in media, but creatively it’s still operating like the three-network era,” said Dave Helmreich, CEO of TripleLift. “The industry promised the best of TV and digital. Instead, we recreated traditional commercials in a new pipe.”
In May 2025, streaming officially surpassed cable and broadcast TV in U.S. viewing share, according to Nielsen
CTV Formats: Why This Is a Major Opportunity for Advertisers
The report argues that brands are underutilizing the full potential of Connected TV advertising by sticking to legacy formats.
Campaigns that integrate high-impact formats—such as pause ads, overlays, and native streaming units—significantly outperform traditional video spots:
- +33% increase in brand recall
- 11× higher brand consideration vs. benchmarks
- +76% purchase intent when multiple innovative formats are used
Consumer perception is also shifting in favor of these new formats:
- 67% of viewers say innovative CTV ads are more memorable
- 77% consider pause ads informative rather than disruptive
The takeaway is clear: audiences are ready for innovation—even if the industry is not.
The Real Barrier: Infrastructure, Not Creativity
Despite the availability of new formats, adoption remains slow. According to the report, the issue isn’t a lack of creative ambition but rather a fragmented ecosystem.
Different streaming platforms have introduced their own proprietary ad formats, making it difficult for brands to scale campaigns efficiently across environments.
“Agencies are built to produce 15s and 30s,” said one executive quoted in the report. “Creative teams need formats that are easy to deploy across platforms.”
This fragmentation has led marketers to default to standardized—but less effective—formats that can run everywhere.
Rethinking CTV Formats Through Creative Infrastructure
TripleLift positions the next phase of Connected TV advertising as one driven by creative infrastructure, not just media delivery.
As a Creative SSP, the company integrates creative formats, audience data, supply paths, and measurement into a unified system designed to optimize outcomes rather than impressions.
“The goal is to move the industry beyond simply delivering impressions. Today’s ecosystem optimizes delivery,” Helmreich stated. “Our approach is to optimize impact.”
The Next Battleground: Creative Standards
The report suggests that the future of Connected TV advertising may depend on industry-wide collaboration to establish scalable creative standards.
Historically, digital advertising formats—such as online video and native ads—only reached scale after standardization. CTV could be approaching a similar inflection point.
Without this evolution, the report warns, connected TV risks repeating the limitations of traditional television instead of fulfilling its promise.
“Streaming rebuilt television distribution,” the report concludes. “Now the industry must rebuild television advertising.”
Historically, digital advertising formats—such as online video and native ads—only reached scale after standardization. CTV could be approaching a similar inflection point.
About the Report and Source
The findings come from TripleLift’s report “The Architecture of Attention: Why Nonstandard CTV Is the New Standard for Impact,” which explores how creative innovation can unlock greater performance in streaming environments.
