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Bonjour Millionaire,

What’s your deal with CTV?

When you say you “get” it, do you really understand how it works, and all the DIFFERENT TYPES that fall under its big umbrella? 

Are you sure?

Because…the channel’s changing. (See what I did there?) 

And yet, I still see teams jumping into it with outdated mental models, which leads them to spend money to learn the wrong lessons. 

If your understanding of CTV hasn’t evolved, I fear you’re missing out.

That’s why today, I want to do a reset. Not just on CTV, but on how TV actually works today - and how serious brands are using it as a growth lever instead of an expensive disappointment.

Keep reading for everything you always wanted to know about CTV, but were pretending to understand afraid to ask. 

If you already know this…Sure you do. 😉 Call this a refresher.

If you don’t, no judgment. Now you’ll know.

Back in the olden days (ahem, the early ‘90s and before), all TV was linear. Consumers looking for some home entertainment watched broadcast or cable TV. Or I’m not sure, square danced? Farmed? 

These days, “TV” is an umbrella term. 

Under that umbrella sits 2 main types:

1. Linear TV = Traditional broadcast and cable. Think NBC, ESPN, Bravo. The stuff that airs at a specific time whether you're watching or not.
2. Streaming/CTV = On-demand content on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, Paramount+, etc.

Now, the boundaries between these two types are pretty blurry these days. Just because you're watching something on a streaming platform doesn't mean you're watching streaming content.

For example, let’s say you’re watching Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime or Watch What Happens Live on Bravo.

^ It feels like streaming, but from an advertising standpoint, it’s still linear TV, baby gorgeous. ❄️

Programmatic CTV took off around 2021, mimicking the same approach we use for digital display ads. Publishers lumped ad inventory onto platforms and sold it to the highest bidder.

By 2024, programmatic was the default. And because it was the default, it seemed like the easiest point of entry for marketers trying to get on TV.

But there’s 1 dirty secret:

Publishers usually reserve their BEST inventory for brands they have direct relationships with. 

The programmatic inventory available to the rest of us? Essentially…leftovers.

Plus, programmatic CTV comes with challenges:

🔦: Lack of placement visibility

🚨: Brand safety concerns

🤡: Fraudulent impressions

📐: Limited measurement

The good news: TV advertising is more proven than it used to be. 

Adoption is widespread. Brands of all sizes are buying in. We can see, in hard numbers (my favorite), that TV can drive results beyond top-of-funnel. Including improving social and search performance.

Buuuut that success has created a new problem for us:

I don’t know if you noticed, but as more brands rushed into TV, the number of CTV platforms has exploded.

They might look similar on the surface, but they all offer different types of access, management/level of control, inventory, etc. 

For example, I see a lot of brands only offer programmatic CTV, meaning they’re accessing just a fraction of available streaming TV inventory, and often not the choicest, most premium placements.

And, when/if they fail with CTV (often due to limited inventory, or underinvestment of time AND $$$), they blame the channel, instead of the platform. 

Here’s an analogy: Using ONLY programmatic CTV is a little like dumping your entire paid social budget on Instagram Reels and ignoring every other channel, i.e. a thing you would surely never do!!

Listen to Lorelai. But also, to my advice.

So, how do we turn TV into a true growth channel? We meet people where they are, and how they watch, in a mix of places.

Case in point: 50% of the US still watches linear TV via traditional broadcast and cable.

The diehard streamers are watching a combination of streaming AND linear that they THINK is streaming. 

Yet most CTV platforms are limited to programmatic. Which is limited to just a slice of streaming. Eek.

Tatari is built for the way consumers actually watch TV, i.e. in many different ways! We call it “Convergent TV,” which is a fun way of saying “you CAN have it all.” 

Convergent TV means you get to buy across:

🛜: Streaming TV (programmatic AND direct publisher inventory) 

〰 : Linear

👩‍💻: Online Video

1 more time for the marketer in the back: Direct Publisher Inventory! 🗣️🗣️🗣️

It’s like a tasting menu of the premium opportunities instead of the usual programmatic leftovers. It’s why brands using Tatari can make a diversified, more intentional TV investment. 

For example:

Tecovas used Tatari to plant its boots in NFL playoff games, NCAA college football, the World Series, AND Yellowstone. 

Saatva, the luxury mattress company, saw a 40% increase in branded search volume and 20% increase in branded search-generated revenue YoY.

Calm used Tatari to drive a 60% lift in subscriptions AND reduced CAC 52% in the process. 

The other important thing here is Tatari has greater control & transparency about the specific networks, placements, and contexts where their brand shows up. 

Plus, measurement that tracks outcomes like purchases and installs, instead of just impressions. Results, not eyeballs, thank you!

Oh, you’re ready to book a demo? Go right ahead. But I’ll warn you, Tatari isn’t for every brand…

…Because convergent TV with Tatari is the NEXT level up.

That doesn’t mean it’s only for big brands, mind you! It just needs the willingness to test CTV seriously, rather than like a $50 or $500 side quest. 

Underpowered tests on CTV lead to false conclusions, wasted spend, or both. None of our brands can afford that. 

Meaningful tests require more intentional allocation. Time, money, and creativity. Just like how you’d approach Meta or Search expansion.

In my view, that’s what makes CTV such an opportunity right now: teams willing to show up thoughtfully have the edge on everyone else. 

My honest advice has 3 options:

1️⃣: If you don’t think your team has the bandwidth or budget, work toward it. 

2️⃣: If you’re trying a “programmatic-only” CTV platform but not in love with your results, ask Tatari for an audit of your campaign. Free advice! (Tell them I told you to ask, OK?)

3️⃣: If you’re ready for Tatari, book a demo and get ready for your brand’s TV close-up. 

I can’t wait to watch.

Yours,

Ari 

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