Streaming TV is surging into 2025 with unstoppable momentum — and advertisers are racing to keep up. DoubleVerify, the digital media measurement and analytics powerhouse, has just released its latest report, DV Global Insights: Trends in the Modern Streaming Landscape.
This deep dive into the state of connected TV (CTV) advertising reveals a landscape of explosive growth, evolving viewer habits, and serious hurdles that threaten to waste both money and opportunity.
Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify, isn’t sugarcoating it. “CTV is booming, but it’s still maturing. Transparency gaps, fraudulent traffic, and the absence of standardized operations are making media waste a real concern,” he said. The solution, according to Zagorski, lies in a mix of tech innovation and industry-wide collaboration.
According to the report, CTV ad impressions grew by an impressive 66% year-over-year in 2024. That kind of leap highlights just how vital streaming has become for digital campaigns worldwide. Markets like the Netherlands, Indonesia, and Singapore led the charge, showing just how globally relevant the trend has become. But this rapid growth comes with caveats.
Behind the scenes, a lack of app-level transparency and widespread issues like bot fraud and the notorious “TV Off” problem — where ads run after the screen is turned off — are draining advertising budgets at an alarming scale.
The report doesn’t just sound alarms — it offers insights into what’s working and what consumers want. For example, a significant 41% of global viewers now say they prefer ad-supported streaming over subscription models. And while short-form content might dominate social media, long-form programming like shows and podcasts still reign supreme for building brand trust.
Notably, 64% of viewers say that the genre of what they’re watching directly affects how they perceive the ads alongside it — a clear call for better contextual targeting.
On the advertiser side, DoubleVerify also surveyed nearly 2,000 marketers to see how they’re adapting. The majority are bullish on CTV: 72% say their CTV ads outperform campaign baselines, and more than half increased their spending in the past year.
However, many are also frustrated. About 68% say they need more transparency to justify costs, and 63% are unsure if their ads are even reaching real viewers — especially when invisible impressions and bot fraud are rampant.
Still, optimism is high. Two-thirds of marketers not yet in the CTV space plan to make their debut in the next 12 months. That surge of interest underscores the urgent need to solve measurement and fraud challenges before the channel hits its next inflection point.
With the 2025 Upfront and NewFront seasons underway, DoubleVerify is doubling down on its efforts — rolling out more precise measurement tools, stronger fraud protection, and attention metrics designed to help advertisers make smarter buys. The future of streaming may still be taking shape, but one thing is clear: the stakes — and opportunities — have never been higher.
