CTV creative best practices: How to build high-performing ads

Connected TV (CTV) presents a massive opportunity for advertisers, with roughly 89.3% of US households owning at least one internet-connected TV device and CTV streaming projected to reach 248 million US viewers by 2027. 

With ad-supported tiers of major streaming platforms on the rise, advertisers now have access to previously untapped audiences. Business Insider reports that CTV ad minutes per hour grew 18% across streaming platforms including Netflix, Prime Video, and Paramount+ between January and August 2026.

With such a large audience, building a strong first impression with consumers is crucial. But with so many advertisers vying for attention, the quality of your ads becomes even more important for standing out and cutting through the noise.

That’s where having a strong CTV marketing strategy and following creative best practices comes in.

In this article, we’ll break down the key strategies for building effective CTV creative—including what to reuse, adapt, build, and test to create ads that capture attention and connect with audiences.

Start with defining the campaign objective and audience

Rather than starting with asset creation or simply trying to retrofit a 15-second linear TV creative, advertisers should start off by determining their campaign objectives and target audience.

Typical campaign objectives include awareness and reach, consideration, re-engagement, and action or conversion, where appropriate. 

The table below provides suggestions of the main creative priorities for each of those campaign objectives:

Campaign objective	Core CTV creative priorities
Awareness & reach	Provide a brand hook within the first three seconds. Use clear audio/visual branding throughout. Include memorable brand positioning and a clear value proposition.
Consideration	Employ a problem-solution narrative. Include product differentiation and your brand’s competitive advantage. Introduce key features and social proof to build trust.
Re-engagement	Include tailored messaging referencing previous ads and past brand exposure. Introduce special incentives, like limited-time discounts. Provide new product updates.
Action & conversion	Include a clear call to action, like visiting a website or scanning a QR code. Introduce special promotion codes or clear next steps.

How to connect CTV creative strategy to the target audience

Before producing or editing assets for CTV, start with three core audience questions:

1. What does your audience already know? 

Someone unfamiliar with your brand needs a simple, foundational hook. An audience segment pulled from your CRM or retargeting pool likely already understands your offering and may be ready for a more specific value proposition or reason to act.

2. What is the single most important message? 

CTV gives you an opportunity to capture viewers’ attention on a large screen, but they won’t follow or remember an unorganized or rambling script. Keep your message focused on one key takeaway.

3. What should viewers remember or do? 

Whether you want viewers to commit your brand name to memory or scan an on-screen QR code (although it’s important to note that some publishers don’t allow them in ad creative), make the next step clear. If you want viewers to act on their phone, show them how and give them enough time and incentive to do so.

Targeting and creative are often treated as separate steps—first you define the audience, then you choose the creative they’ll see. But with CTV, they need to be planned as a single, unified strategy.

When CTV targeting and creative strategies operate in silos, you risk delivering generic top-of-funnel creative to high-intent retargeting audiences—or vice versa: hyper-specific product messaging to people who are unfamiliar with your brand. By aligning CTV creative with your audience, you ensure that every impression delivers a message designed for its specific goal.

When should you reuse, adapt, or build new CTV creative?

Every marketer wants to save time and resources by repurposing existing creative. But sometimes, it’s not always the most effective route to take. 

Although some linear TV or digital video assets can be reused for CTV, they first need to be evaluated against campaign objectives, audience, messaging, and technical requirements. 

Read on to learn when you should reuse, adapt, or build new CTV creative.

Reusing existing creative

Reusing video assets from linear TV or online video campaigns makes sense when an existing ad naturally aligns with your CTV marketing strategy.

Consider reusing creative that already fits your campaign objective, works in CTV’s lean-back viewing environment, meets technical publisher specifications, and delivers a clear, memorable takeaway.

It’s important to remember, however, that simply taking a “lean-forward” desktop or social video ad and stripping it of its click-through functionality doesn’t make it CTV-ready. For example, social ads designed for silent, fast-scrolling mobile feeds rely on quick text and flashy hooks to capture attention. When moved to a living room TV screen, those same edits can feel jarring and off-putting. 

Adapting existing creative

Adaptation can be an efficient middle ground, allowing teams to preserve an ad’s core narrative and production value, while tailoring key elements to maximize impact on the big screen.

If the core storyline and brand narrative are strong, but certain elements need minor adjustments to work in the streaming environment, adapting existing creative may be the right option. Elements to consider updating include branding, pacing, on-screen text, CTAs, technical specs, and audio. 

Depending on the asset or campaign, that could mean adding branding overlays, editing ads down to 15- or 30-second clips, using on-screen QR codes, upgrading video resolution, adjusting aspect ratios, and remixing audio.

For teams adapting existing creative, StackAdapt makes the process even easier with automated transcoding. Advertisers simply upload video ads into the platform and they’re automatically transcoded to meet publisher specs—no manual reformatting or technical QA required.

Building new creative

Developing net-new CTV creative requires dedicated resources, but it may be necessary when your campaign goals or audience strategy are significantly different from what your existing assets were designed for.

For instance, if your audience or objective changes, you’ll want to create new ads to reach your target demographic or change the focus from building broad brand awareness to driving lower-funnel performance. If your existing assets were built as vertical video or short-form social clips, or if older creative doesn’t meet current streaming publishing specs, it may also make sense to start from scratch rather than trying to rework it. 

New creative can also make sense if your campaign calls for multiple versions tailored to different audiences that include hyper-local or persona-specific messaging.

Whether you’re looking to repurpose existing creative or build new assets, StackAdapt’s Creative Studio can help at any stage of the creative process—from storyboarding to quality assurance. Click above to learn more.

Building the story for a CTV viewing environment

For CTV ads to be effective, they have to resonate with the audience and fit their surroundings. That’s where storytelling comes in.

CTV gives marketers a full-screen environment that’s very different from the quick-scroll, often sound-off environments of social media feeds.

To maximize impact, though, marketers need to resist the temptation to cram in details about multiple features, promo codes, or value propositions into a single spot. Effective CTV ad creative focuses on one clear central idea and builds an engaging narrative around it.

The table below covers which narrative building blocks to include and how to effectively incorporate them in CTV spots:

Opening hook	Even unskippable ads require an attention-grabbing hook that earns viewers’ focus in the first three to five seconds. Use eye-catching visuals, movement, and captivating audio cues right out of the gate. Pro tip: Israel Garcia-Navarrete, Senior Creative Strategist at StackAdapt’s Creative Studio, recommends using an interesting fact or figure that asks viewers, “Did you know?” In doing so, viewers are more likely to pause and wonder, “Do I know that?”—providing enough of a hook to grab their attention and keep them watching.
Introduce your brand	Assume some viewers are encountering your brand for the first time. Make it clear what your brand offers and why it matters without requiring prior knowledge or context. A viewer should be able to understand the main message within 15- or 30-seconds.
Narrative progression	Structure the commercial with a distinct beginning, middle, and end. A clear problem-solution arc or emotional story can keep viewers engaged throughout the spot.
Message hierarchy	Focus on a single primary message and support it with one or two supporting proof points. More information can overwhelm the viewer and bog down the narrative. Pro tip: Israel often tells clients to “flip the message” to ensure that the main takeaway appears at the top of the ad—unlike in linear TV advertising, where it’s usually saved for the end.
Pacing	Pacing should be deliberate and steady. Avoid the quick cuts often used in small-screen clips on TikTok or Reels. Give scene transitions and visual elements room to breathe so viewers can follow the story on a large display.
Brand presence	Introduce your brand early—whether it’s visually through subtle watermarks, overlays, and product placements, or audibly through dialogue or voiceovers.
Visual storytelling	Make the most of 4K and HD screens. Rich color palettes, clear lighting, and cinematic framing convey a brand’s vibe better than text-heavy graphics.
Ending and recall	End with a strong, undeniable takeaway. Re-state the core message with a clear next step, such as an on-screen QR code or URL viewers can use to take action on another device.

Choosing the right CTV ad length

There is no universal “best” CTV ad length. 15-second and 30-second formats account for the vast majority of CTV inventory, but the right length depends on your campaign’s goals and audience.

When it comes to matching ad length to your strategy, 15-second spots are ideal for reaching top-of-funnel viewers, retargeting already warm audiences, offering simple brand reminders, or one-off promotions.

30-second spots give enough space to hook the viewer, establish a problem-solution narrative, and deliver a clear call to action.

60-second spots are less common, but may make sense for major brand launches, complex products that need explanation, or high-consideration categories (for example, automotive or financial services) where having more time to get your message across is as important as who you reach.

The table below shows six factors to consider when choosing the duration of your CTV ads:

Campaign objective	A 30-second spot can give awareness campaigns more room to introduce the brand and tell a story, while a 15-second spot may be enough for retargeting or a simple reminder.
Story complexity	A multi-step value proposition shouldn’t be crammed into a 15-second edit. At the same time, keep the story focused enough to understand within the time available.
Audience familiarity	Viewers who are unfamiliar with your brand may need more time and context, while existing customers or retargeting audiences may only need a shorter reminder.
Publisher inventory	Make sure your ad length matches the requirements and inventory available through your chosen publishers or streaming platforms.
Asset availability	When repurposing assets, it’s better to cut down a strong, longer spot than trying to stretch out short social ads.
Testing strategy	A/B test 15- and 30-second variants to compare how each performs against your campaign goals.

How to make branding and messaging memorable

CTV advertising doesn’t automatically guarantee high brand recall. Because viewers frequently use multiple screens at once while watching TV—EMARKETER says roughly 216.8 million US adults, or 80.6% of the population, use a smartphone while watching—subtle or late brand reveals easily get lost.

As a result, branding and key messaging need to appear early and remain clear throughout the ad.

Whatever you’re advertising—whether it’s a product, event, or service—Israel suggests answering the following three questions: What is it? Where can I get it? And how can I get it?

In doing so, you make it easier for viewers to understand what you’re advertising and provide more chances to connect the brand with the message, even if their attention shifts to another screen.

Strategic branding and on-screen copy

EMARKETER reports that, in an analysis of the design elements across display, video, and CTV ads, ads that grew brand attention used a slogan at the end of an ad 74% of the time.

Other distinctive brand elements used in high-performing CTV ads included distinct colors (63% of the time), distinct ad style (42%), package shape (32%), and representations of distinct tastes, textures, and scents (21%).

CTV ad creative also needs to be designed for a TV screen, not simply adapted from mobile or desktop. Here are some of the main branding and messaging elements to consider:

• Brand and logo placement: Introduce your brand within the first three to five seconds. Use graphics or watermarks in the corner of the screen or integrate branding with product shots and distinct color palettes to build brand recall.
• Product visibility: Show your product or service early so viewers immediately grasp what’s being advertised—even if they’re watching with the sound off.
• Large, high-contrast text: In a lean-back environment, text must be bold and concise. Limit on-screen copy to short headlines, and use clear fonts with strong background contrast.
• Readability: Keep text on the screen long enough for a viewer to read it. Text that disappears too quickly can be difficult to follow and compete with the voiceover.
• Visual and audio consistency: Align fonts, brand colors, voiceovers, and sonic signatures to ensure recognition when retargeting users across other channels—like display, native, and video—on mobile or web.

Ultimately, branding should support the story, not overwhelm it. Cluttering the screen with jarring promo banners or oversized graphics takes away from the premium streaming experience. By integrating your logo and product naturally into a clear narrative, you can make your brand easier to recognize.

How to use sight and sound strategically in CTV ads

Because CTV ads are shown before, in-between, and after TV shows, movies, and live sports, unlike with most online video advertising, sound is likely to be on. Use it to your advantage.

The combination of full-screen imagery and audio can make CTV ads more immersive than static digital formats. But sight and sound need to work together instead of competing for attention. 

When building an asset from scratch, background music should help set the tone from the start. 

Music serves as the atmospheric foundation of the spot. As Israel puts it, it should function like a subtle signature scent in a luxury hotel—creating a pleasant mood without being so prominent or loud that viewers remember the music more than the actual message. 

In addition to background music, sound effects and dialogue can work alongside clear visual cues to make key moments more memorable.

The voiceover also plays a critical role in capturing attention in a multi-screen viewing environment. Audiences may be scrolling on their phones, answering work messages, or managing household distractions—creating a continuous background of, as Israel describes it, “gray noise.” 

To cut through that noise without coming off as aggressive, a voiceover should have a slightly higher energy level, a modest boost in volume, and an approachable tone that pulls viewer attention back to the screen. 

Because real-world streaming circumstances vary—from late-night viewing sessions at low volumes to noisy living rooms—the overall creative must remain fully accessible, ensuring high-contrast visuals and on-screen copy still give viewers a total understanding of the ad and its message, even if the audio conditions change.

Building CTAs for a CTV environment

CTV ads generally aren’t clickable, so CTAs need to adapt accordingly. Unlike desktop or mobile ads, CTV ads require viewers to switch from their TV screen to another device to take an action.

CTV creative needs to match the campaign objective. For example, if brand awareness is the goal, there’s no need for a complex CTA. Strong branding in the ad—via logos, slogans, or signature sounds—may be enough to build brand awareness and recall. 

For viewers in the consideration stage, prompting a specific search term can help move them from the TV screen to search on another device. If direct action is the goal, an on-screen prompt like a QR code or memorable URL is a low-friction way to drive users to convert online.

Here are three best practices to keep in mind when creating CTAs for CTV ads:

1. When drafting CTAs, keep language simple and direct. Instead of ambiguous phrases like “Learn more at our website,” give explicit instructions like “Scan this code to shop now.”
2. The CTA should give viewers enough time to process the information, grab their phone, and take the intended action. Flashing a QR code for two seconds right at the end of a spot isn’t going to be effective.
3. Design your CTAs to adapt to streaming platform requirements. If interactive ads aren’t an option for particular platforms, your CTA should be integrated into the audio and visual elements of the video ad itself.

How to build a CTV creative testing strategy

Launching a CTV campaign is only the beginning. Marketers should treat creative as an evolving asset, using testing to learn what works and improve future iterations. 

Israel from the Creative Studio recommends A/B testing underperforming CTV campaigns by: 

• Adjusting variations in colors
• Trimming video lengths from 30 to 15 seconds
• Switching between male and female voiceovers
• Introducing variations in CTAs and imagery whenever relevant

Begin with a clear, testable hypothesis and test one variable at a time. To understand what actually drives better performance, keep audience segments consistent and change only one creative element per test. 

For example, comparing a 15-second edit to a 30-second edit, or testing an on-screen QR code against a search prompt, can help show what performs better without muddying the data. Changing multiple creative elements simultaneously makes it impossible to pinpoint which tweak caused the performance shift.

Document these learnings into an ever-evolving creative playbook, and apply them to future creative production to save time and make testing more efficient.

What are some common CTV creative mistakes?

Here are some design and creative faux pas to be aware of when working on CTV ads:

Common mistake	Best practice
Automatically repurposing an existing asset without evaluating CTV fit	Before repurposing existing assets, evaluate them against campaign objectives, audience, messaging, technical requirements, and inventory requirements.
Trying to communicate too many messages in one ad	Focus on one clear central idea, executed with an engaging narrative.
Weak or delayed branding	Introduce a brand hook within the first three seconds, and deliver clear audio and visual branding throughout the spot.
Designing on-screen text for desktop/mobile rather than television viewing distance	Limit on-screen copy to short headlines, and use clear fonts with strong background contrast.
Using a click-first CTA in a non-click-first experience	Ensure CTAs for CTV match the campaign objective and medium.
Ignoring sound and audio	Use background music, sound effects, and dialogue alongside clear visual cues to capture attention and increase brand recall.
Personalizing creative without a meaningful strategic reason	A strong narrative with light versioning for high-value segments maximizes campaign relevance while preserving operational efficiency and broad media reach.
Launching only one creative version without a testing plan	Isolate creative elements for testing and document the results to streamline future production.
Treating targeting and creative as independent strategies	Plan targeting and creative as a single, unified strategy.

How can teams scale CTV creative production?

CTV campaigns often face operational hurdles like tight campaign timelines, limited internal production capacity, and video libraries filled with legacy assets that aren’t formatted for streaming on the big screen. 

Along with the growing demand for audience-tailored versions and the technical nuance of meeting strict publisher specifications, many teams often struggle to scale their CTV ad production efficiently while remaining within budget.

To bridge the gap between creative strategy and production execution, advertisers often leverage a combination of the following approaches:

In-house creative teams

These are best suited for brands with dedicated video production resources. Internal teams offer more control over brand voice and can provide faster iterations, though they can easily become bottlenecked when shared across multiple departments.

External production agencies

Ideal for campaigns that require full-service scripting, talent sourcing, and high-end cinematography. While agencies deliver premium quality, they sometimes have higher production costs and longer lead times.

AI ad generators

A quick, budget-friendly path for scaling audience-tailored variations. AI-powered advertising tools like StackAdapt’s AI Video Builder turns prompts or existing assets into CTV-ready ads in minutes—handling formats, aspect ratios, and publisher specs automatically. Media buyers get speed and scale for testing and mid-funnel variants, while creative teams stay in control of brand consistency. Speak with our team to learn more.

DSP and partner creative services

A turnkey option where programmatic partners or platform-managed creative services handle the reformatting, creative optimization, and technical QA. Leveraging partner services allows media planners to access specialized CTV expertise directly alongside their campaign execution.

Regardless of the production model or hybrid approach you choose, your creative strategy should dictate how you produce the work—never the other way around. Establishing campaign objectives, audience messaging, and testing hypotheses first helps teams focus production resources where they’ll have the most value.

How the StackAdapt Creative Studio can help

The StackAdapt Creative Studio can support teams at all stages of the creative process, from early planning through final production.

Specific capabilities include storyboarding and scriptwriting, strategy planning, measurement, adapting existing assets, multi-channel creative support, and full ad development. By relying on the team’s expert guidance, you can launch your CTV ad campaigns quickly and with less stress. Learn more about our award-winning in-house creative team.

Putting CTV creative best practices into practice

Executing high-performing CTV campaigns requires more than just repurposing an existing video file and uploading it to a demand-side platform.

Whether you need to adapt existing assets or build new ones, following these CTV creative best practices can help bring your brand to life on the big screen.

Next steps

• Ready to elevate your streaming media strategy? Learn more about CTV advertising in StackAdapt.

• Download this guide to learn everything there’s to know about CTV advertising and get best practices from industry experts.

• Find out how to capture attention with these CTV marketing strategies and see examples from our award-winning Creative Studio.

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