Connected TV & Streaming Advertising: The UK Guide (Updated Weekly)

TL;DR: Connected TV (CTV) — ads on streaming services and broadcaster VOD — is now a core channel, bringing TV's impact with digital's targeting and, increasingly, self-serve access for smaller brands.

The living-room screen is back at the centre of the media plan — but on streaming's terms. Connected TV, meaning ads served through streaming platforms and broadcaster video-on-demand, combines the impact of television with the targeting and measurement marketers expect from digital.

What counts as connected TV?

CTV spans ad-supported streaming tiers, broadcaster VOD such as ITVX and Channel 4, and the platforms that sit underneath them. New self-serve tools are now opening premium TV inventory to small and medium businesses that were historically priced out.

Why it matters for UK brands

Demand for premium streaming inventory is outstripping supply, big platform deals keep reshaping the landscape, and the barriers to entry are falling. Below is our ongoing coverage of connected TV and streaming advertising.

The latest coverage

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Comcast's Universal Ads lands in the UK with ITV, Channel 4 and Sky

Video budgets hit strongest level in almost two years

Fox to buy Roku in $22bn deal that reshapes connected TV

Your Biggest Competitor Isn't Another Brand. It's Distraction.

“Shorts of the Future”: YouTube Adds Veo 3 AI Video Generation — What It Means for Marketers

Quick FAQ

What is connected TV advertising?

Advertising delivered through internet-connected streaming services and broadcaster on-demand apps, combining the reach and impact of TV with digital-style audience targeting and measurement.

Can small businesses advertise on connected TV?

Increasingly yes — new self-serve platforms let SMEs buy premium TV and streaming inventory with modest budgets, much like buying social ads, removing the traditional barriers to TV advertising.

Connected TV finally gives smaller brands the thing they always wanted: the credibility of the big screen without the big-budget gatekeeping. The catch is that a weak ad looks weaker on TV, not better. The opportunity is real — but only if the creative earns the attention it's paying for.

— Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing

CTV's barriers are falling fast — the brands building the creative and measurement muscle now will own the space as inventory scales.

Where does connected TV sit in your plan — a core channel, or still an experiment?

If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk

Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute