Connected TV Advertising in the UK: CTV vs BVOD
Connected TV (CTV) advertising is any ad served through an internet-connected television screen: a smart TV, a streaming stick or a games console. That covers the broadcasters’ own streaming services (BVOD), plus YouTube watched on the TV set, the ad-supported tiers of subscription streamers, free ad-supported channels (FAST) and TV manufacturers’ own platforms. CTV describes the screen and the delivery route, not the quality of what you’re buying, and the price, context and measurement vary widely depending on which part of it your money goes to.
That distinction is the whole job. A proposal that says “CTV” without listing the inventory sources has not told you what you are buying.
CTV vs BVOD vs other streaming: what each one is
The terms overlap, and sellers use the broadest one that suits them. Here is how we separate them when we plan.
| Route | What it is | How it is sold | What it is good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BVOD | Ads in broadcasters’ own streaming services: ITVX, Channel 4’s streaming service, 5’s streaming service, Sky’s on-demand, UKTV’s U (check current product names) | By the broadcaster’s sales house, on CPM, often alongside linear | Broadcast-quality programming, registered-user targeting, extending linear reach to lighter and younger viewers |
| YouTube on the TV screen | YouTube viewing on smart TVs and streaming devices, from professional channels to amateur creators | Through Google’s buying tools, often programmatically | Scale among younger audiences, precise interest targeting; context varies from channel to channel |
| Subscription streamer ad tiers | The cheaper ad-supported plans some subscription video services now offer | Direct or through selected partners; terms and minimums vary by service | Reaching viewers who have largely left scheduled TV; premium content, limited targeting and reporting in some cases |
| FAST and platform inventory | Free ad-supported linear-style channels and apps on TV manufacturers’ and device platforms | Mostly programmatic, through platforms and supply-side partners | Low-cost scale on the big screen; quality and context vary most here |
BVOD is a subset of CTV, but BVOD also runs on phones, tablets and laptops. When you buy BVOD you are buying the broadcaster’s content on every device; when you buy CTV you are buying the TV screen across many content owners. For the detail on BVOD trading, targeting and frequency caps, see our BVOD advertising guide.
Brand safety and viewability
On the TV set, most CTV ads play full-screen with sound on, which is why CTV looks so much better than desktop or social video on viewability. But full-screen on the TV set doesn’t guarantee a quality placement. The differences that matter:
- Content control. Broadcaster content has been commissioned, complied and scheduled by the broadcaster, and every ad in its breaks has been through Clearcast. Open-market CTV can put your ad next to user-uploaded or low-quality content unless you restrict it with inclusion lists.
- Skippability. Broadcaster streaming breaks are generally non-skippable. Some YouTube formats let the viewer skip, which changes what a completed view means.
- Fraud and transparency. Programmatic CTV has had problems with spoofed apps and invalid traffic. Buying direct from known publishers, or through deals restricted to named apps, reduces the risk. Buying the cheapest open-exchange CTV increases it.
- Screen verification. Some inventory sold as CTV is delivered to other devices. Ask for a device split in every report.
- Measurement. BARB now includes some broadcaster streaming viewing on TV sets, so parts of BVOD can be read alongside linear. Most other CTV relies on the platform’s own figures, marked by itself.
A cheap impression next to the wrong content, or served to a phone when you paid for a TV, is still wasted money.
CTV and BVOD planning: when to use which
Start with the audience and the job, then pick the routes. The pattern that works for most UK advertisers:
Linear first for fast, broad reach
If the campaign needs mass reach quickly (a launch, a seasonal peak, a national brand message), linear TV still does that faster and cheaper per person reached than any streaming route. Thinkbox’s Profit Ability 2 study (141 brands, £1.8bn of spend, 2021–23) put linear TV’s full profit return at £5.94 per £1, against £4.11 for all advertising.
BVOD to extend linear
BVOD comes next, because it is the same broadcast content reaching the viewers linear under-delivers: lighter viewers and younger adults watching on demand. In the same Thinkbox study, linear TV plus BVOD generated 54.7% of ad-generated profit. We plan the two together, with the same sales houses, so frequency and value can be managed across both.
Wider CTV for specific audiences and scale
YouTube on TV, subscription ad tiers and FAST make sense when the target audience has largely stopped watching broadcaster content, when you need interest targeting broadcasters can’t offer, or when a small budget needs big-screen presence at low cost. Keep the inventory lists tight and ask for a device split and delivery by app in every report.
Addressable linear alongside
Household-level addressable TV such as Sky AdSmart targets by household data inside live and recorded TV, which is a different route again. It suits advertisers with a defined geography or customer profile. See our linear TV vs BVOD vs connected TV comparison for a fuller side-by-side view.
Response campaigns
For direct response, CTV and BVOD can add measurable reach, but the test needs enough delivery in a defined area to read against web, search and sales data. A thin national spread across five platforms produces five dashboards and no answer. Our DRTV media buying page covers how we set up the read.
How CTV is priced
CTV and BVOD are bought on CPM (cost per thousand impressions), while linear is bought on CPT (cost per thousand impacts, measured by BARB). An impression counts an ad served to a device; an impact counts a person in the audience watching. With several people in front of a TV set, one CTV impression can reach more than one viewer, but the platforms model that differently, so don’t compare a CPM and a CPT directly.
We won’t quote CPMs here, because prices vary widely by route, targeting and season, and a published average would mislead you. As a rule, broadcaster BVOD and premium streamer inventory cost more per impression than open programmatic CTV, and the difference usually reflects what you’re buying. For linear prices, see our TV advertising costs guide. If you have a CTV or BVOD proposal, send it over and we’ll tell you what we’d change.
Questions
What is the difference between CTV and BVOD?
CTV is any ad on an internet-connected TV screen, from any content owner. BVOD is ads inside the broadcasters’ own streaming services, on any device. Much BVOD is watched on connected TVs, so they overlap, but BVOD is defined by the content and CTV by the screen.
Is connected TV advertising worth it for small businesses?
It can be, because it is bought on impressions with lower entry points than a national linear campaign, and regional targeting keeps it relevant. The risk is spreading a small budget too thinly to read. Pick one or two routes and one area, and measure properly.
Does connected TV count as TV advertising?
Broadcaster streaming is TV content with TV-standard ad breaks, and BARB now measures some of it on TV sets. Other CTV is shown on the TV screen but is closer to online video in how it is sold and measured.
Can you advertise on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video in the UK?
Some subscription streamers now offer ad-supported plans that take advertising. Access, minimum spends and targeting differ by service and have been changing, so check current terms before planning around them.
How is CTV advertising measured?
Mostly by the platform’s own reporting: impressions, completion rate, reach estimates and device split. Some broadcaster streaming now appears in BARB alongside linear. For response campaigns, add your own web, search and sales data by region and day.