Samsung Ads Spotlights the Future of CTV: Key Trends Driving Advertising Innovation in 2025

Connected TV (CTV) will continue to redefine the advertising landscape in 2025, combining the storytelling power of traditional television with the precision and measurability of digital advertising, making it a game-changer for marketers seeking to drive both broad audience reach and results across the entire funnel. With increasingly sophisticated advertising innovations that go beyond traditional TV reach into lower-funnel engagement, brands now have more opportunities than ever to interact with consumers in new and exciting ways. From interactive ads to the rise of retail media networks, the future of CTV promises to deliver a more dynamic and performance-driven experience.

As Samsung Ads enters its 10^th year, its North America leadership team led by Sang Kim – Michael Scott, Cathy Oh, Travis Scott Howe, and Eldad Persky – share their predictions for 2025. Here’s a look at their insights around what will shape the advertising ecosystem in the coming year.

• Performance CTV will Further Prove its Lower Funnel Chops: CTV has proven itself as a brand-building medium, and in 2025, it will prove itself as an effective conversion platform as well. For performance marketers accustomed to search and social video, CTV’s 55-inch canvas may seem unwieldy. In 2025 however, new norms, benchmarks, and a robust targeting framework will make CTV a true “holy grail” for performance. Education on redefining performance will be crucial for both upper funnel, where performance can be injected into brand campaigns, and lower funnel, where outcomes are focused on commerce and conversion. In addition to strides in measurement, advertisers will seek out partnerships that test CTV’s ability to drive conversion and accurately attribute off-screen conversions. As AI and machine learning evolve, they’re sharpening data application, and streamlining CTV’s pathway to becoming a fully efficient, performance-driven platform. Expect more brands to use interactive and engaging ads to deliver conversion, particularly as brands leverage first-party data to execute omnichannel strategies.

– Michael Scott, Vice President, Head of Ad Sales & Operations, Samsung Ads

• Advertisers Take the Driver’s Seat with Interactivity: As TV viewing is now a multiscreen experience, interactive components will become integral to every ad break, creating seamless opportunities for advertisers to connect with viewers on both TV and mobile simultaneously. Consumers are more leaned in than ever, with 30% now regularly using their phones to scan QR codes when watching a TV show or commercial. Features like QR code overlays and gamified experiences will continue to gain traction among advertisers in order to drive deeper engagement and create a more immersive, cross-platform ad journey. This will not only capture viewer attention but allow brands to interact with consumers in real-time to bridge the gap between passive viewing and active engagement, increasing brand consideration and loyalty.

– Cathy Oh, Chief Marketing Officer, TV & Mobile Service Business, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Ads

• CTV’s Deterministic Data for Campaign Optimization: In 2025, media buyers worldwide will continue to grapple with measurement and determining a reliable source of truth. As privacy regulations evolve and third-party metrics decline, advertisers face pressure to achieve addressability and performance without compromising user data. Measurement will be critical, but which metrics can be trusted? It will be the clean rooms, not necessarily the measurement companies, that will emerge as the unsung heroes. According to the IAB, 80% of companies are either using or considering data clean rooms, but data clean room technology is not necessarily turnkey. Effective campaign optimization will require a trifecta between brands, clean rooms and CTV partners with deterministic data to provide meaningful, measured results. Delivering results across the full funnel – awareness to consideration to conversion – requires this ‘new way’ of partnership.

– Travis Howe, Vice President, Global Head of New Product Solutions, Samsung Ads

• Gaming Continues to Win Share of Time: Gaming’s growth shows no signs of slowing, with half of Americans now identifying as digital gamers across casual and long-form formats. As gaming draws bigger audiences and time spent increases, in-game advertising and “advergames” will gain traction to capitalize on consumer engagement. Expect to see publishers enhance their strategies by integrating scalable reward-based experiences for brands of all verticals across the full funnel—a tactic that has already proven successful in mobile gaming. These reward moments won’t just unlock new monetization opportunities; they’ll offer consumers more engaging, enjoyable and habit-forming interactions with the brands they love.

– Sang Yoon Kim, Executive Vice President, General Manager, North America Service Business, Samsung Electronics America

• Democratizing TV Content: Most CTV providers have put a stake in the ground to enable smaller companies–-not traditionally leveraging TV–-to get in the game. The growth of niche streaming platforms—from BritBox and Shudder—will create new, brand-safe advertising spaces with highly engaged audiences. This trend makes TV OEMs more valuable than ever, as they offer brands a single entry point to access diverse, curated apps in one place. As advertisers shift away from linear TV and grow wary of user-generated content (UGC) due to brand safety concerns, vetted OEM ecosystems become logical and secure choices, appealing to brands seeking quality and reliability. Not only will niche streaming platforms thrive, but brands of all sizes will also capitalize on the growing availability of self-service advertising solutions, enabling more accessible and efficient media buying.

– Cathy Oh, Chief Marketing Officer, TV & Mobile Service Business and Samsung Ads

• CTV is No Longer Reserved for the Largest Advertisers: Looking ahead, expect to see new brands of all sizes appear on CTV platforms. Why? There will be increased opportunities for small and mid-sized companies to thrive, as the barriers to launching effective campaigns continue to fall. The rise of self-service buying options, coupled with the power of influencers and generative AI will allow businesses of all sizes to optimize impactful creative without the need for extensive resources.

– Michael Scott, Vice President, Head of Ad Sales & Operations, Samsung Ads

• FAST’s Forward Trajectory: FAST continues to be a media darling and consumer obsession. This year, we saw subscription services validate this popular trend. FAST steadfastly answers consumer needs and delivers high-quality, data-driven opportunities for advertisers. Samsung Ads predicts that by 2030, all major SVOD platforms—Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, and others—will integrate FAST channels, leveraging curated library content to attract subscribers and reduce churn. Expect to see more growth among native FAST services like Samsung TV Plus, in addition to FAST offerings being added to traditionally subscription-based platforms. FAST’s evolution cements its role as a vital bridge between consumer preferences and advertiser goals.

– Michael Scott, Vice President, Head of Ad Sales & Operations, Samsung Ads

• Retail Media Meets Streaming: Brands Plug into First-Party Power: With third-party cookies fading, brands are doubling down on retail media networks (RMNs) and data-rich platforms to harness their first-party data. LiveIntent reports that 96% of marketers prioritize first-party data, with 73% driven by cookie loss. U.S. retail media ad spend hit $45.15 billion in 2024, a nearly 20% surge. RMNs are expanding fast across sectors—Chase Media Solutions in finance, United Airlines’ Kinective Media in travel, as well as Amazon Publisher Cloud—fueling addressable, plug-and-play content, especially in streaming. RMNs with vast first-party data are partnering with streaming platforms to unlock their full value through data clean rooms and other advanced data solutions. As buy and sell sides converge, RMNs and connected TV platforms like OEMs are partnering to create direct, data-driven consumer relationships, enabling more immersive shopping experiences and fostering stronger connections that drive brand affinity and loyalty through streaming.

– Eldad Persky, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Ads Product, Engineering & BD, Samsung Electronics

As we look ahead, the shift toward more interactive, data-driven, and performance-focused advertising in CTV is undeniable. From seamless multiscreen experiences with innovative ad formats, to the growing power of first-party data, 2025 will be a pivotal year for brands, media buyers, and consumers alike. With sophisticated technologies like AI and data clean rooms, the advertising ecosystem will become more efficient and personalized, allowing brands of all sizes to engage with their audiences in meaningful, impactful ways. The future is here, and it’s an exciting time for the world of CTV to strengthen brand-audience connections.