Observed Signal · Mar 23, 2026 · Industry Commentary · Source: VideoWeek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Agency View: TV Training Outdated, CTV Lowers Barriers
Matt Towle, Head of Broadcast at agency Anything is Possible, tells VideoWeek that broadcasters' and publishers' training and consultancy offerings are outdated compared with platform-led programs (e.g., LinkedIn). Towle argues that TV industry training (he cites Thinkbox TV Masters) is not well aligned with the modern CTV ecosystem and that publishers should build training and consultancy to help agencies and buyers navigate CTV. He also discusses how CTV is lowering barriers for smaller advertisers, how agencies are shifting from pure buying houses toward strategic consultancy (especially as AI and in-housing pressures grow), and how his agency splits CTV work across broadcast and performance teams depending on campaign goals. He gives a client example where a nonprofit, Boundless, grew from a £15,000/month linear TV buy to almost ten times that spend including CTV.
Industry commentary highlights a skills and training gap between broadcasters/publishers and platform-led programs and underscores CTV's democratizing effect for smaller advertisers—relevant but not a major platform policy or product release.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Matt Towle is Head of Broadcast at Anything is Possible.
- Towle said existing TV training offerings for agencies (he cited Thinkbox TV Masters) are outdated for the modern market.
- Towle contrasts platform training programs (e.g., LinkedIn) with broadcasters' weaker agency training and consultancy.
- He says CTV reduces barriers to entry for smaller advertisers, enabling test-and-learn with lower upfront investment.
- Anything is Possible splits CTV responsibility across its broadcast and performance teams and stresses strategist oversight.
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CTV Ads for All, Yet Buyers Hold Back
CTV Has Ads for Everyone – So Why Isn’t Everyone Buying Them? argues that despite rising CTV supply and capabilities, the buying experience remains overly complex, deterring many buyers—especially SMEs and independent agencies. The piece notes fragmentation across platforms and a steep learning curve that can distract planners from campaign goals. It acknowledges valuable behind-the-scenes advances in optimization and efficiency but argues these won’t move the needle unless the front end is intuitive. The author envisions AI-powered, chat-based dashboards enabling buyers to manage reach, relevance, and outcomes via natural language prompts, making the process more accessible. It highlights UK dynamics where SMEs account for a large share of digital ad spend and cites Sky, ITV, and Channel 4 collaborating to simplify buying for smaller buyers. It also warns that without log-level transparency and auditable data, a black-box market could hinder trust even as CTV scales.
Agencies urged to plan CTV as performance channel
The article argues that while CTV has evolved into a performance channel with advanced targeting, optimization, and measurement capabilities, many agencies still plan it like traditional TV, focusing on reach, frequency, and video completion rate. It highlights research showing over 70% of marketers would increase CTV investment if they had stronger proof of business outcomes. The piece presents case studies: one streaming subscription advertiser identified 3,224 incremental subscriptions with 99.98% confidence and 365% ROAS; a footwear retailer achieved a 3.96x blended ROAS by including in-store sales; and another advertiser reduced customer acquisition cost from above $350 to under $150 through optimization. The article urges agencies to start with business questions, plan around customer geography (ZIP codes, store footprint), and optimize continuously like performance media.
Céline Flores Willers urges B2B marketers to think like B2C
At DMEXCO 2026, Céline Flores Willers, founder of The People Branding Company, argued that B2B marketing often appears outdated due to fear of innovation (FOMU). She demonstrated creative tactics like using a robot sidekick 'Robi' and branded T-shirts to boost attention and branding. She highlighted LinkedIn as the central platform for B2B, citing a SAP Taulia case where employee-generated content, boosted via Thought Leader Ads, achieved 2.3x higher engagement and 70% higher click-through rates with a small budget. Willers also cited examples like Legora's campaign with Jude Law and Merz Lifecare's 25-post merger documentation as successful 'building in public' strategies. She concluded by urging B2B marketers to be more creative and learn from B2C approaches.
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