Bringing data precision to the living room

Opinion

CTV’s true value will only be realised through better data and a smarter strategy. Household-level insights provide the missing piece of the jigsaw, writes Outra’s Graham Field.

From an advertiser’s point of view, ‘television’ has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades. What was historically a mass-reach, broadly targeted channel has evolved into a fragmented, multi-platform ecosystem spanning SVOD services, smart TVs, broadcaster apps and social video. Thanks to this shift, digital video now accounts for nearly 60% of total TV and video ad spend. 

However, this significant growth masks a more complex reality. While reach has expanded, attention has become far harder to secure and even harder to convert into meaningful outcomes. Visibility alone no longer guarantees effectiveness or cultural relevance in such a fragmented landscape. 

Connected TV (CTV) has emerged as a bridge between scale and precision, promising data-driven targeting within premium media environments. Despite this potential, CTV remains underutilised by brand advertisers, in part, due to significant challenges in planning, measurement and consistency.

The data gap

Many brands continue to rely on broad demographic targeting and legacy planning approaches designed for a linear era. While these methods can still deliver scale, they often lack the nuance required to drive relevance. 

At the same time, much of the industry still depends on behavioural and device-level signals. These signals, while useful, are inherently reactive, optimising based on past actions rather than anticipating future needs. The result is a cycle of chasing intent after it has already formed, rather than influencing it at the point of emergence.

This highlights a critical gap. Precision exists within CTV, but it is constrained by the depth and quality of the data underpinning it. Without richer, more contextual insights, advertisers risk delivering messages that are timely but misaligned in relevance.

To move beyond this limitation, the industry must shift its focus from devices to households. 

Household-level insight

Household-level data offers a view rooted in real-world behaviours rather than inferred digital signals. Unlike device-based targeting, which often relies on proxies and assumptions, household data captures tangible indicators of life-stage and intent. 

These might include signals that a household is preparing to move, planning a renovation, or entering a new phase of family life. Such moments are not just data points; they are decision windows, where brand influence can have a measurable impact.

This shift enables a move from inferred intent to observed behaviour and, crucially, from reactive to predictive marketing. Instead of responding to signals after a consumer has begun actively researching or purchasing, brands can engage audiences earlier, shaping consideration before decisions are made.

The living room as a performance channel

This new level of data precision alters the role of CTV within the marketing mix. No longer confined to upper-funnel brand building, the living room is evolving into a space capable of delivering full-funnel impact.

The combination of high-quality content environments and granular audience insight creates a powerful platform for personalised storytelling. When creative is aligned with real-world context, reflecting where a household is in its journey, messaging becomes meaningful, rather than simply visible. This relevance drives both brand outcomes and performance metrics.

However, the effectiveness of CTV does not exist in isolation. Consistency across channels is critical. Messaging delivered on the big screen should be reinforced across digital, social and mobile touchpoints, creating a cohesive narrative that follows the consumer journey. 

Realising this potential requires more than better data; it demands a shift in strategy. Brands must move beyond siloed, channel-specific thinking and adopt a more integrated, audience-first approach.

Breaking barriers

Household-level data should not sit in isolation within CTV activation. It should inform planning, creative development, execution and measurement, ensuring that campaigns are cohesive from end to end. This will require closer collaboration between data, media and creative teams, breaking down traditional barriers and divisions. 

CTV itself should also be viewed as part of a broader ecosystem. Its strength lies in its ability to anchor campaigns within premium environments, but its impact is amplified when integrated with other channels. 

CTV represents the convergence of scale and precision, but its true value will only be realised through better data and a smarter strategy. Household-level insights provide the missing piece, enabling advertisers to move beyond reactive targeting and embrace a more predictive, intent-led approach. 

In doing so, the living room becomes more than just a place to watch content. It becomes a space where data, creativity and context come together to drive meaningful outcomes.

Graham Field is CRO – Retail/Media at Outra