Observed Signal · Oct 19, 2026 · Interview · Source: VideoWeek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
The Kite Factory's Chalmers on Transparency and CTV
In an interview with VideoWeek, Gregor Chalmers, Head of Broadcast at The Kite Factory, discusses the evolving role of agencies in the TV and CTV landscape. He emphasizes the importance of transparency in the digitized TV ecosystem, where bad actors exploit trust. He notes that agency work is becoming less transactional, with clients valuing partnerships over price. Chalmers highlights the need for strategic rigour in planning, as manual buying skills diminish and algorithms take over. He also mentions The Kite Factory's in-house tools, FlightDeck and Kite Geo, which enable transparent data visualization and targeted regional TV buying, augmented by AI for audience segmentation. He advocates for more "digital bullishness" from broadcasters like ITV, Channel 4, and Sky to compete with tech giants, and highlights the value of transparency as a key metric.
This interview provides insights into agency perspectives on CTV, transparency, and strategic planning, but it is not a major industry event or announcement.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Gregor Chalmers is Head of Broadcast at The Kite Factory.
- The Kite Factory has an in-house data platform called FlightDeck.
- The Kite Factory developed a tool called Kite Geo for targeted regional TV buying.
- Chalmers previously ran TV output for Ubisoft, including games like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry.
- The interview was published on October 19, 2026.
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1 Entity mapped“Chalmers previously ran TV output for Ubisoft, including games like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry.”
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Agency View: TV Training Outdated, CTV Lowers Barriers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agency Anything is Possible, tells VideoWeek that broadcasters' and publishers' training and consultancy offerings are outdated compared with platform-led programs (e.g., LinkedIn).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.
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.
Clients Should Choose Agencies for Ideas Over Price
Max Kelvin, Director of Media at independent agency Guerillascope, argues that agencies, brands and broadcasters must be brave in responding to shifts in media and advertising. He warns that procurement-driven pitches and agency reliance on incentivised or proprietary inventory can flatten quality and create unsustainable commercial models. Kelvin says modern agencies must offer judgement, strategy and market-wide independent views rather than only access to inventory, and that video/CTV’s primary strength remains brand-building even where it can drive short-term sales. Guerillascope rebuilt its TellyAds database as an AI platform and produced what it says was the first Clearcast-approved AI-generated ad on linear TV in 2024. Kelvin urges clients to prioritise idea quality over lowest price and recommends impartial econometric measurement where feasible.
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