Anna Brantley of AnalyticsIQ discusses CTV’s ability to merge traditional TV’s reach with digital media’s precision.
CTV’s future lies in personalized, predictive intelligence and interactive experiences to capture consumer interest.
Cord cutters, swaths of people cutting their TV subscriptions for cheaper and more flexible options, haunted execs and advertisers alike for years as the stable foundation they had built upon began to crumble. With so much fragmentation in the market, CTV emerged as the unifying force to recapture viewership and undivided attention in the heart of the home.
According to Anna Brantley, Chief Revenue Officer at AnalyticsIQ, CTV’s strength lies in its profound ability to resonate with audiences and give back to advertisers in new ways; via data, connection, and unparalleled growth potential.Â
Hitting home: “CTV is one of the most emotionally resonant channels in the omnichannel mix,” Brantley asserts. “It offers brands the opportunity to deliver storytelling in an environment where consumers are leaning in, not just scrolling past. People are choosing the content they consume—often with fewer distractions—so ad placements in this space carry more weight.”
AnalyticsIQ blends cognitive psychology with sophisticated data science to help marketers understand the “who, what, and why” behind consumer decisions. With 16 years in the industry, Brantley has witnessed firsthand the evolution of advertising, and she believes CTV’s ascent is a natural progression that benefits everyone.Â
Best of both worlds: When asked what is driving CTV’s rapid rise, Brantley explains, “The rise of CTV is rooted in its ability to merge the best of both worlds: the broad reach and immersive nature of traditional TV with the precision and accountability of digital media.”Â
She notes that advertisers are “increasingly drawn to the ability to target audiences with granular accuracy, control frequency across devices, and tie impressions more directly to business outcomes.” The transformation, she adds, has been “accelerated by consumer behavior.”
Viewers have shifted decisively toward on-demand, streaming environments where they choose what they watch and when they watch it.” In this dynamic, Brantley states, “marketers are leveraging predictive, people-based data to create highly relevant experiences—experiences that deliver not just impressions, but impact.”
Future needs: On how forward-thinking brands are adapting, Brantley observes, “Leading brands are rethinking how they define and reach their audiences. Rather than relying solely on historical behavior or broad demographic groups, they’re getting more predictive—leveraging data that anticipates future needs, preferences, and purchase intent.”Â
She highlights that “Many are also exploring B2B2C strategies, linking professional identities with consumer insights to deepen their understanding of decision-makers across contexts.” Furthermore, Brantley points out, “attention metrics are becoming a valuable optimization lever, allowing brands to prioritize quality of engagement, not just quantity. The smartest campaigns today are layering in these signals to fuel dynamic creative, real-time personalization, and ultimately stronger ROI.”
Persistent challenges: While the promise of CTV is undeniable, challenges remain. “CTV’s promise is powerful, but there are still growing pains,” Brantley admits. “One of the biggest challenges is fragmentation—each streaming platform has its own data, measurement approach, and delivery infrastructure. That makes it difficult to get a unified view of performance, let alone tie exposure to outcomes across channels.”Â
She emphasizes that “Identity resolution is another key issue. As third-party cookies are relied on less and less, and privacy regulations tighten, marketers need a reliable way to connect consumer touchpoints across CTV, mobile, and desktop in a compliant, persistent way.” Brantley stresses that “Solutions rooted in stable offline identifiers, combined with digital linkages, are becoming essential to bridging these gaps. Without this, even the best targeting strategies can fall short on attribution.”Â
Amplifying emotional connection: Despite these hurdles, CTV’s role in the broader omnichannel mix is increasingly vital. “When coordinated with mobile, display, audio, and social, CTV becomes a powerful driver of both upper- and mid-funnel performance. It helps reinforce brand messages, create consistency across touchpoints, and build long-term recall. For marketers, it’s not just about fitting CTV into a media plan—it’s about understanding where it can amplify emotional connection and drive deeper engagement.”
The next frontier: “The next frontier for CTV is going to be deeply personalized and fueled by predictive intelligence,” she predicts. “As content continues to fragment and consumer attention becomes harder to capture, the ability to dynamically serve creative that’s both relevant and timely will be a differentiator.”Â
Furthermore, Brantley anticipates, “We’re also going to see a shift from passive viewing to interactive experiences—think shoppable formats, contextual overlays, and real-time calls-to-action.” She concludes that “These innovations hinge on understanding not just who a person is or what they’ve done, but what’s likely to capture their interest next. Brands that harness this level of insight will be the ones that stand out—and stay top of mind.”
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