India’s Connected TV Ad Market Triples in Two Years, Hits ₹1,500 Crore in 2024

Introduction: India’s Living Rooms Go Digital

India’s advertising landscape is undergoing a significant shift—straight into the nation’s living rooms. According to a recent industry report, Connected TV (CTV) ad spending has more than tripled in just two years, reaching a whopping ₹1,500 crore in 2024.

Driven by the rise in smart TV adoption, OTT content consumption, and data-driven ad targeting, CTV is fast becoming a prime destination for digital advertisers looking to bridge the gap between television-scale and internet-style precision.

What Is CTV and Why Does It Matter?

Connected TV (CTV) refers to smart televisions or devices like Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, and gaming consoles that stream digital content via the internet rather than traditional broadcast or cable.

What makes CTV attractive to advertisers:

• Highly engaged audience watching long-form content

• Data-rich targeting capabilities similar to web and mobile ads

• Unskippable ad formats that improve recall

• Measurable performance metrics (impressions, view-through rates, etc.)

With traditional TV viewership stagnating and OTT platforms booming, CTV bridges both worlds—and brands are taking notice.

The Numbers: A Market on Fire

According to the report, CTV advertising in India:

• Surged from approx. ₹450 crore in 2022 to ₹1,500 crore in 2024

• Has seen a 3X increase in advertiser participation

• Is expected to cross ₹3,000 crore by 2026, if current growth continues

Key sectors driving this growth include:

• FMCG

• Auto

• EdTech

• Gaming

• Consumer electronics

Why Brands Are Betting Big on CTV

1. Affluent, Urban Audience: CTV users typically reside in metros and Tier 1 cities, with higher spending power and premium brand affinity.

2. Premium Content Environment: Ads appear alongside high-quality, binge-worthy shows on platforms like Hotstar, SonyLIV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

3. Household-Level Targeting: Unlike mobile, CTV allows brands to reach entire households, not just individuals—ideal for categories like appliances, auto, and packaged foods.

4. Cross-Screen Strategy: CTV fits seamlessly into a larger digital strategy that includes mobile, web, and influencer marketing, making it ideal for omnichannel campaigns.

Challenges to Watch

While the growth is impressive, advertisers still face challenges:

• Fragmentation across devices, platforms, and metrics

• Lack of standardized measurement tools in some cases

• Premium pricing compared to other digital formats

However, as agencies and adtech players improve their infrastructure, these gaps are closing quickly.

Conclusion: CTV Is No Longer the Future—It’s the Now

With ₹1,500 crore in ad spends and counting, Connected TV is no longer a niche play in India’s digital media landscape. It’s a high-impact, high-engagement channel that delivers brand storytelling at scale—with the performance benefits of digital.