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5 Questions to ask your CTV vendor
The fastest way to judge a CTV vendor has nothing to do with the pitch deck. It's how long it takes them to answer a direct question. A vendor who knows their own supply chain answers in seconds. A vendor who needs to get back to you or steers the conversation toward a different slide is usually telling you something too, just not the thing you asked. CTV spend in India has grown faster than the infrastructure needed to hold vendors accountable for it. Budgets have moved from linear TV and digital video into connected TV at a pace most procurement teams have not had time to build proper diligence around. That gap gets filled by trust advertisers taking vendor decks at face value because there is not yet a standard set of questions everyone knows to ask, the way there is for search or programmatic display. That trust gets exploited quietly, and rarely through outright fraud. It is usually through vagueness: numbers that are technically true but framed in a way that hides the part that actually matters. A vendor can report impressive reach, strong completion rates, and healthy attribution numbers, all while sitting on a supply chain that would look very different if you asked to see the underlying data. So instead of another list of red flags, here are the five questions worth asking on every vendor call, why each one matters, and what a good answer should actually sound like. 1. What percentage of my spend is actually working media? When you hand a vendor a budget, that money does not go straight to buying impressions. A portion of it gets absorbed by platform fees, ad serving costs, data licensing, and agency margins before a single ad plays. What is actually left over, the part that buys inventory, is called working media, and it is the only number that reflects what your campaign is genuinely spending on reach. This matters because the gap between gross spend and working media can be substantial, and it's rarely disclosed unless asked for directly. A vendor with nothing to hide will give you this percentage without hesitation, because they have already calculated it internally. Somewhere in the 60-70% range is common depending on the technology stack involved, though it can vary based on how many platforms are stacked between your budget and the final impression. Anything meaningfully lower than that deserves a follow-up question about exactly where the rest of the money is going, and whether each fee attached to it is actually earning its place. 2. Can I see log-level impression data? Dashboards are built to tell a story. They roll thousands or millions of individual impressions into a handful of charts and summary metrics, almost all of which are designed to trend in a reassuring direction. That is not necessarily dishonest, but it is a curated version of the truth. A log file does not have that luxury. It lists every single impression individually, which app it ran in, what time of day it served, what device it reached, and what it cost. There is nowhere for a weak campaign to hide inside a log file the way it can inside a rounded-up summary chart. If a vendor can hand over that raw data without pushback, it is usually a sign they are confident in what it shows. If they can only offer a polished report, it's worth asking directly why the underlying data is not available. Sometimes that is a genuine platform limitation tied to how the ad server was built. Sometimes it is because the summary is doing a lot of quiet work that the raw logs would not support. 3. What percentage of my impressions ran on true CTV/OTT inventory? Streaming inventory has become one of the most elastic terms in Indian digital advertising right now, and that elasticity benefits the seller far more than the buyer. It can mean a premium show running on a Samsung Smart TV in someone's living room, or it can mean a mobile browser playing a video ad that technically qualifies as OTT because the same publisher also happens to run a streaming app. Both of those impressions can get billed at CTV rates, even though the experience, the attention level, and the actual value to the advertiser are nowhere close to the same. This distinction matters more in India specifically because the connected TV base is still growing and the definition of streaming has not been standardized the way it has in more mature markets. Ask specifically what share of your impressions ran on actual connected TV devices, as opposed to mobile, tablet, or desktop screens counted under the same streaming umbrella. And do not settle for a verbal percentage ask to see the device-level breakdown, because a number without the underlying split is just another version of the same vague reassurance. 4. Are you buying direct or through resellers? Every intermediary that sits between an advertiser's budget and the publisher's inventory supply-side platforms, resellers, sub-resellers takes a cut before the impression ever reaches its destination. None of that is inherently a problem. Some intermediaries add real value: better targeting technology, verification tools, access to inventory that would not otherwise be available. Others exist purely as arbitrage, adding a markup without adding anything the advertiser can point to. The issue is not the existence of resellers, it is the lack of visibility into how many of them are involved and what each one is charging for. A vendor who genuinely controls their supply chain should be able to map the path your budget takes, from your account to the final publisher, in a few sentences. A vendor who cannot, or who gets noticeably vague when asked, likely does not have full visibility into their own inventory sourcing either, which means neither do you. 5. What is your attribution methodology: 30, 60, or 90 days? When a vendor reports that a campaign drove a sale, that claim rests entirely on the attribution window they used to measure it, and that window quietly shapes how impressive the results look. A 30-day window is a relatively tight claim: if someone saw an ad and purchased a month later, there is a reasonable case the ad played some role. A 90-day window is a much looser one. A lot happens in a consumer's decision-making over three months that has nothing to do with an ad they scrolled past once. Longer windows produce bigger, more impressive-looking conversion numbers almost by mathematical default, simply because more purchases fall inside a wider net. That is precisely why some vendors default to longer windows without being asked, and why the question needs to be asked directly rather than assumed. Ask not just what the window is, but why that specific window was chosen for your category and purchase cycle. A genuinely considered methodology should have a real answer to that. None of these five questions are hard to answer for a vendor who actually controls their supply chain and stands behind their numbers. That is really the test running underneath all of them, not whether the answer sounds good, but whether it comes easily, with data attached rather than just reassurance. Vagueness on a straightforward, specific question is rarely an accident. It is usually the answer, just not the one that got said out loud.
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What is CTV Scale?
CTV Scale is the Connected TV First Advertising Platform built to drive sustainable growth by developing and implementing robust CTV AdTech solutions that maximize revenue and monetization opportunities. CTV Scale helps advertisers to secure a huge reach like linear TV and leverage the precision of digital advertising in the connected TV ecosystem. On the other hand, the platform allows inventory owners to maximize their revenue not only through video ad inventory but also by focusing on other ad units such as Native, Banner, and Video banner. What is CTV(Connected TV) Connected TV (CTV) is a television that connects to the internet, either through built-in capabilities (smart TVs) or external devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, or gaming consoles. This connectivity allows viewers to stream content from online platforms on their television screens, bypassing traditional cable or satellite services. CTV has transformed how audiences consume video content, enabling on-demand viewing, personalized recommendations, and interactive features while also creating new opportunities for targeted advertising that combines the reach of traditional TV with the precision of digital marketing. What is CTV Advertising CTV advertising is the delivery of video ads through internet-connected television devices and streaming platforms, combining the storytelling power of traditional TV along with the precision of digital marketing. Unlike linear TV that broadcasts the same ads to all viewers, CTV advertising uses programmatic technology to target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, viewing behavior, and purchase intent, delivering personalized ads across streaming services like Hulu, Peacock, and FAST channels. For advertisers, CTV offers measurable performance tracking, including completion rates, post-view actions, and conversion attribution, flexible budget control with real-time campaign optimization, and access to audiences who have abandoned traditional television. This convergence of premium brand-building context and data-driven accountability makes CTV advertising valuable for both awareness campaigns and direct response objectives, while remaining accessible to businesses of all sizes through programmatic buying platforms. The CTV Device Ecosystem CTV scale is powered by a diverse range of devices that bring streaming content to the big screen: Smart TVs Modern televisions with built-in internet connectivity and streaming apps. Brands like Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Sony dominate this space, often featuring their own operating systems and app marketplaces. Streaming Devices Dedicated devices that connect to traditional TVs include Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast. These plug-and-play solutions have democratized access to streaming content. Gaming Consoles PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch double as CTV platforms, particularly popular among younger demographics who use these devices for both gaming and streaming entertainment. Set-Top Boxes Cable and satellite providers like Comcast's Xfinity and AT T's DirecTV offer hybrid boxes that combine traditional TV with streaming capabilities. Why is CTV growing? Connected TV is growing rapidly because it matches modern viewing behavior, where audiences prefer on-demand, personalized, and platform-driven content over fixed broadcast schedules. The widespread availability of high-speed internet, affordable streaming access, and a growing library of premium digital content have accelerated the shift from linear television to streaming environments. At the same time, advertisers are increasing investment in CTV because it offers precise audience targeting, real-time measurement, flexible budget control, and clear performance attribution, making it a more efficient, accountable, and scalable alternative to traditional television advertising. From Passive Viewing to Intelligent Engagement Traditional television treated viewers as anonymous households. CTV changes that paradigm completely. Every interaction within the CTV environment generates data. What people watch, how long they watch, when they stop, what devices they use, and which ads they engage with all of this creates a powerful feedback loop. This data fuels advanced targeting, personalization, and performance measurement. CTV scale is not just about reach, it is about intelligent reach. Advertisers can identify and connect with specific audience segments defined by demographics, interests, viewing behavior, shopping intent, and lifestyle attributes. The result is advertising that feels less like an interruption and more like relevance. For Publishers, CTV scale unlocks unprecedented monetization potential. Streaming platforms support diverse revenue models, including advertising-supported tiers, subscription-based services, transactional purchases, and hybrid approaches. Scale ensures that each model remains economically viable, even for niche or specialized content categories. CTV advertising commands premium CPMs, often exceeding those of traditional digital formats. High completion rates, engaged audiences, and premium viewing contexts justify these higher prices, directly boosting publisher revenues. For many platforms, CTV now represents the most profitable segment of their digital business. Global distribution further amplifies revenue opportunities. Content can travel seamlessly across borders, while advertising remains localized through geo-targeting. A single piece of content can generate revenue across multiple markets, each with tailored monetization strategies. Why CTV Scale Is Transformational for Advertisers For advertisers, CTV scale represents the convergence of brand storytelling and performance marketing. Television has always excelled at storytelling. The large screen, immersive audio, and relaxed viewing environment create a unique psychological impact. CTV preserves these strengths while adding digital precision. Performance measurement further strengthens CTV s appeal. Every impression can be tracked, every view analyzed, and every conversion attributed. Marketers gain visibility into completion rates, frequency of exposure, incremental reach, and downstream actions such as website visits or in-store purchases. This level of accountability transforms television from a branding channel into a full-funnel performance engine. CTV scale also democratizes access to television advertising. In the past, high production costs and minimum spend thresholds locked out small and medium businesses. Programmatic CTV buying eliminates these barriers, allowing advertisers to enter television with flexible budgets and precise control. Whether a local retailer or a multinational brand, advertisers can purchase exactly the inventory they need. Perhaps most importantly, CTV environments offer brand safety and premium context. Ads appear within professionally produced content, free from the brand risks associated with user-generated platforms. This trust, combined with the lean-back viewing experience, elevates brand perception and recall. The Virtuous Cycle of Scale What makes CTV scale self-reinforcing is how it creates competitive advantages that lead to more scale. Advertisers who achieve success with CTV invest more, which increases publisher revenue, which enables better content and technology, which attracts more viewers, which attracts more advertisers. Publishers operating at scale can afford the premium sports rights, the exclusive shows, and the original programming that drives audience growth. They can invest in the recommendation algorithms and user interfaces that keep viewers engaged and coming back. For advertisers, scale enables cross-platform strategies that ensure consistent messaging across the fragmented streaming landscape. It provides access to cord-cutters, those affluent, younger viewers who never subscribed to traditional television and represent the future of media consumption. The scale of data enables real-time optimization that was impossible in traditional television, where campaigns were locked in weeks before they aired. The Operational Efficiency of Scale CTV scale also transforms operational efficiency. Programmatic infrastructure allows publishers to automate ad sales, accessing thousands of advertisers simultaneously. This ensures higher fill rates, optimized pricing, and reduced dependency on traditional sales teams. Inventory that once went unsold now becomes monetizable at scale, maximizing revenue yield. At the same time, scale enables deeper technology investments. Larger platforms can build sophisticated recommendation engines, improve streaming quality, and enhance user experience, driving higher retention and engagement. These improvements create a positive feedback loop, where better experiences attract more viewers, which in turn attract more advertisers. The CTV scale story is still being written, but its trajectory is clear. As more households cut the cord, as more content moves to streaming platforms, and as the technology becomes ever more sophisticated, the scale will only grow. For advertisers and publishers willing to embrace this new landscape, the opportunities are extraordinary and inevitable.
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