CTV and OEM Advertising, The New Frontier for Brands in 2026
CTV and OEM Advertising: The Next Wave of Screen Led Marketing
Every year the industry reaches a point where it notices viewing behaviour shifting again. Screens multiply, content becomes more personalised and brands begin to rethink how they reach people at home. This is exactly what has pushed CTV and OEM advertising to the top of so many media conversations, and by 2026 these channels feel like essential parts of a rounded strategy rather than experimental additions.
To understand why they matter, the definitions themselves set the groundwork. CTV refers to Connected TV, meaning any television that can access the internet and stream content through apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, ITVX or Disney Plus. This includes smart TVs, streaming sticks and gaming consoles. OEM refers to Original Equipment Manufacturer advertising, which is the advertising inventory that comes directly from the smart TV manufacturers themselves. This places brands inside the device interface in areas such as the start up screen, home menu or app navigation panels.
With those foundations in place, the rest of the picture begins to feel clearer. Both channels work differently but sit side by side in the wider shift towards screen led audience behaviour.
How CTV Came Into Focus
Viewers today open their connected TV and instantly see a personalised home screen filled with apps, suggested shows and content tiles built around their viewing habits. That single moment when the TV powers on has become a major advertising territory, because it offers a predictable way to reach people at a time when attention is almost guaranteed.
The rise of CTV has been shaped by streaming becoming the default entertainment choice in most households. People watch on their own time, drop in and out of long form content, follow weekly series or switch between platforms through a single screen. This has created new advertising moments, such as pre play placements, mid roll ads within shows and high impact branded takeovers inside certain apps.
Advertisers have embraced CTV because it gives them accurate data at household level. This means campaigns can focus on lifestyle interests, viewing behaviour or geographic areas while still appearing in a premium environment that feels like traditional TV but operates with far more precision. It is a natural extension of how digital campaigns work, but with the added weight of a large format, high quality viewing experience.
Where OEM Advertising Fits In
While CTV centres on the content itself, OEM advertising focuses on the device. This is where smart TV manufacturers offer brands access to spaces that exist before any app or programme is chosen. It might be a sponsored tile on the home screen, a presence within the app store area or a takeover during the device start up sequence.
These placements matter because they sit at the very start of the viewing journey. A viewer may not yet know what they want to watch, but they are fully engaged with the interface. That makes OEM placements a powerful way to build early visibility, guide people towards certain content or drive awareness of entertainment platforms, consumer brands or local services.
Every manufacturer operates its own system, but the principle remains steady. OEM inventory gives advertisers early presence during a moment of strong attention before the viewer becomes absorbed in long form streaming.
Why These Channels Matter for Advertisers
For brands, the biggest appeal is alignment with real audience behaviour. People stream content throughout the week, often during the exact hours when they are also exposed to out of home formats during daytime travel. A commuter may pass taxi advertising, metro panels, bus rears or roadside digital screens on their way home, then settle into CTV in the evening. By the time OEM or CTV ads appear on the living room screen, the brand message already feels familiar and connected.
This ability to build multi-screen reinforcement is one of the strongest advantages of combining these channels. CTV delivers storytelling through content, OEM enhances the early phase of the viewing session and out of home keeps the brand visible during the moments people move through the city. The channels do not fight for attention, they support each other by appearing during different daily routines.
Measurement is another factor. CTV platforms offer detailed reporting on reach, frequency, completion rates and household level targeting. OEM provides interaction data based on how viewers navigate the interface. This gives advertisers a level of feedback that traditional TV alone was never designed to deliver.
A Forward Look at CTV and OEM Advertising
As brands step deeper into 2026, CTV and OEM advertising continue to evolve into essential building blocks of the media mix. Their strength is based on simple audience facts. Streaming keeps growing, smart TV ownership increases year on year, and the home remains one of the most attentive environments for advertising.
The next stage is understanding how these channels fit naturally with everything else. Out of home formats such as bus supersides, wrapped taxis, digital billboards, roadside screens and metro panels still provide reach and scale in public environments. CTV then reinforces the message in the living room, and OEM supports the first moment a viewer sees their screen come to life.
The story unfolding is one of connection. Brands that lean into this shift early are discovering that a campaign can feel more natural when it follows the viewer from the street to the sofa. CTV and OEM are shaping what the future of screen-based advertising will look like, and 2026 is the year they finally settle into the mainstream.