CTV’s next act: Redefining its place in the 2025 marketing game

As we look at the evolution of India’s media landscape in 2025, connected TV (CTV) may have created the most impactful shift in the ecosystem—moving from a niche technology to a mainstream powerhouse. If we look at the adoption curves of the smartphone boom a decade ago, the CTV revolution in households across cities big and small in India rivals those figures and is only picking up momentum. 

The question is no longer whether CTV matters, but how quickly marketers can adapt to it and maximise its potential.

To accomplish that, I believe it is essential first to dispel a few myths that continue to plague the conversation around CTV today. This marriage of the best parts of TV and digital channels reshapes the larger marketing funnel in unique ways and thus must also be looked at in a new light.

MYTH 1: CTV is the same as OTT

REALITY: OTT is the content, while CTV is the device and the medium. While you can stream OTT on a phone or laptop, CTV brings that content to the largest screen in the home – combining the attention-grabbing nature of television with the targeting power of digital. 

This distinction matters because CTV campaigns can now be measured based on impressions, engagement, and household reach, which was never possible with linear TV.

MYTH 2: CTV is only for young metro audiences who are tech-savvy and early adopters

REALITY: In India, CTV has become a family-driven experience rather than a gadget for a select few. Younger members may set up the device, but the entire household engages with it – from cricket streaming to soap operas. This shared environment makes CTV accessible across age groups and demographics, extending its relevance well beyond early metro adopters into Tier-II and Tier-III markets.

MYTH 3: An absence of last-mile conversions signals that CTV is ineffective

REALITY: Expecting CTV to deliver instant sales is a complete misunderstanding of its true value. CTV excels at creating impressions at scale. Nearly half of Indian viewers use a second screen while watching CTV, browsing products or adding items to their wishlists. 

The purchase often happens later, but the intent is sparked by the CTV impression. This puts CTV closer to broadcast TV in its approach and reach, but with the added advantage of digital traceability.

MYTH 4: CTV is a premium-audience-focused format due to the high-cost nature of CTV appliances

REALITY: The affordability of smart TVs and the rapid spread of high-speed data have democratised access for Indians across the country. Entry-level CTV sets today are available for as little as Rs 15,000, and this has accelerated CTV adoption incrementally, going from 23 million in 2023 to over 40 million in mid-2025. 

The CTV ad market also has grown from Rs 450 crore in 2022 to roughly Rs 1,500 crore today, with forecasts of Rs 3,500 crore by 2027.

This growth shows that CTV is no longer a premium niche – it is fast becoming a mainstream channel commanding a significant share of TV budgets.

Why marketers must change their mindset about CTV in 2025

CTV’s strength lies in its ability to build awareness and intent early in the consumer journey. The medium is not built for instant transactions, but it is a powerful spark that drives downstream actions. 

Through our research for the recently launched MiQ Festive Shopper Insights Report 2025, we found that during peak periods like the 2024 festive season, CTV marketing spends grew by 25%, reflecting the platform’s growing relevance as a top- and mid-funnel driver of influence.

Unified measurement tools now allow us to map these influences across devices and touchpoints, reducing the importance of last-click attribution.

The reality is that most conversions triggered by CTV happen later—on a mobile device or desktop—but without that first spark of inspiration, the sale may never occur.

Many consumers today are turning into digital-first users, skipping linear TV entirely and blending devices and platforms seamlessly. For marketers, CTV represents a way to tap into these various audiences at scale and build meaningful reach, even with limited first-party data. 

By targeting overlapping audience profiles and using formats that bring demographics together, like family shows and sports, marketers can speak to consumers who share similar geography or purchase intent. 

This makes CTV a unifying bridge across India’s fragmented media environment. With increased adoption and consumer targeting improvements through AI, this will make CTV indispensable in the modern media mix in the very near future. 

Leaders who treat it not as an add-on experiment but as a core pillar stand to benefit immensely from its incredible capabilities, as it is poised to be the defining force in Indian advertising in 2025 and beyond.

(Varun Mohan is the Chief Commercial Officer, India, at MiQ – a leading global programmatic partner that operates across North America, Europe, APAC, MENA and Latin America.)