Smartly, an AI-powered advertising technology platform, in partnership with EMARKETER, has released new research on the growing role of connected TV (CTV) in today’s multiscreen environment. The study highlights that nearly 70% of marketers plan to increase CTV investment this year, underscoring the urgency to meet audiences where they are watching.

Despite shifts in media strategy, creative adaptation is falling behind. With 78% of U.S. adults expected to use multiple screens simultaneously by the end of 2025, marketers face rising complexity that calls for agile creative tailored specifically for both CTV and social platforms.

“The lines between social media and CTV are blurring, with more people watching social videos and creator content on TV sets,” said Jasmine Enberg, Vice President and Principal Analyst at EMARKETER. “Marketers must break down the silos between media and creative and think more holistically about their video strategies.”

Key Findings

  • Video investment rising: 45% of marketers now allocate at least 30% of their digital ad budgets to video, with the majority running campaigns across both social and CTV.
  • Creative adaptation gap: Only 25% of marketers currently tailor distinct assets for both social and CTV, despite the unique advantages of each platform.
  • Cross-channel strengths: CTV offers household-level targeting while social excels in individual engagement, but both enable precise segmentation by interests, demographics, and viewing habits.

“Social assets are often built to be nimble, short, engaging, and tested through real-time feedback,” said Oli Marlow-Thomas, Chief Innovation Officer at Smartly. “When repurposed thoughtfully for CTV, that agility meets the power of a more immersive format.”

Smartly’s solutions enable marketers to bridge this gap by adapting social-born creative for CTV, making it possible to scale cross-channel campaigns with speed, relevance, and performance in mind.

Methodology

The survey, developed and fielded by EMARKETER in collaboration with Smartly, included 20 questions and was conducted between March and April 2025. Responses were collected from 220 marketers to evaluate their digital video advertising strategies across social and CTV platforms.

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