Google India says CTV has moved beyond brand advertising

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Connected TV is no longer just a premium screen for brand campaigns. Google India’s Satya Raghavan says CTV is moving deeper into performance-led marketing as advertisers seek both reach and measurable outcomes across streaming, creator-led storytelling and AI-enabled media planning.

The shift matters because India’s CTV market has reached serious scale. One of India’s premier specialized media consulting and audience research firm’s 2025 OTT audience report estimates India’s CTV audience at 129.2 million, up from 69.7 million in 2024, making television screens the second-largest device for streaming after smartphones.

That growth changes the role of connected TV advertising. Marketers can now use CTV not only for high-impact video storytelling but also for sharper targeting, sequential messaging and performance signals. Raghavan had earlier described the medium as a blend of television’s immersive canvas and digital’s addressability, saying, “The blend of addressability and immersive viewing on CTV creates a unique space for brands to tell their stories effectively.”

For brands, the implication is practical. Media plans that treat CTV as a top-funnel branding add-on risk missing households that are already streaming premium content, comparing products and responding to creator-led cues. The growth of “brandformance” reflects this pressure: CMOs want campaigns that build memory while also showing business movement.

The next test will be measurement. A comprehensive, quarterly market research report noted that 58 percent of Indians still watch linear TV monthly, while CTV added 35 million incremental viewers and 23 percent of Indians have become digital-only media consumers.

CTV’s promise is clear, but its winners will be brands that connect creative, data and attribution without reducing the big screen to another clickable banner.