Rakuten TV research points to shift towards viewer-first CTV advertising
June 9, 2026 10.47 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Connected TV advertising is entering a new phase of maturity across Europe, with brands increasingly focusing on attention, viewer experience and contextual relevance rather than simple reach metrics, according to new research from Rakuten TV Enterprise.

The findings were unveiled at Rakuten TV Enterprise LIVE London, the company’s Connected TV industry forum held at The Shard, where more than 100 executives from the advertising, content and technology sectors gathered to discuss the evolution of streaming advertising.

The report, Beyond the Break: Connecting Advertising Strategy with Viewer Experience, suggests that advertisers are moving away from relying solely on traditional pre-roll and mid-roll advertising formats and are increasingly exploring opportunities throughout the wider streaming experience.

While 57.6% of advertisers still use traditional video advertising formats, only 6.1% regard them as the most effective. Instead, homescreen advertising emerged as the preferred format for more than a third of respondents, with investment in homescreen placements forecast to increase by almost 65%.

The findings reflect a broader shift in the Connected TV market as advertisers seek ways to engage audiences without disrupting viewing experiences. Rather than focusing exclusively on impressions and delivery metrics, brands are increasingly measuring campaign success through attention, memorability and viewer engagement.

More than half of advertising professionals surveyed said they wanted greater insight into which formats audiences remember most, while a similar number said understanding viewer attention had become a key priority.

Rakuten’s research also highlighted what it described as an emerging “advertiser-viewer gap”, where campaign objectives do not always align with audience expectations. However, viewers appear broadly receptive to advertising when it is delivered in a relevant and balanced manner. More than 82% of consumers surveyed said they were open to advertising within streaming environments provided it was appropriately integrated into the viewing experience.

The report identifies creative quality and contextual relevance as two of the most important factors in improving campaign performance. Nearly half of advertising professionals cited improved creative formats as a key growth opportunity, while more than 43% highlighted the importance of stronger contextual alignment between content and advertising.

The findings come as Connected TV continues to establish itself as a core part of media planning across Europe. Every advertising professional surveyed either already uses CTV or plans to incorporate it into their media mix, while 70% expect to increase investment over the next year.

Cédric Dufour, CEO and President of Rakuten TV, said the industry was moving beyond discussions centred purely on scale and audience reach.

“As the ecosystem evolves, the conversation is shifting beyond scale and reach toward attention, viewer experience and long-term effectiveness,” he said.

The research forms part of Rakuten TV Enterprise’s wider strategy to expand its advertising and monetisation business, centred around its CTVision+ platform, which aggregates premium Connected TV inventory across European streaming services and broadcasters.