Connected TV (CTV) advertising is no longer a niche channel. Marketers are following the audience as more people move away from traditional broadcast television and shift toward streaming content through smart TVs, gaming consoles, and other connected devices. However, effective CTV campaigns do more than reach viewers. The real advantage lies in measuring impact, optimizing campaigns in real time, and delivering results that align with business goals.

In this article, we look at three brands—Sky, Miléade, and Auto Trader—that are using CTV to increase awareness, boost performance, and connect with audiences that traditional channels can no longer reach.

1. Sky: Boosting Brand Familiarity with Real-Time Optimization

Sky, a major UK broadcaster, wanted to improve its understanding of its new product, Sky Glass, a smart TV with built-in streaming. Market research showed that many customers were confused about the offering, so Sky needed a campaign focused on education and awareness. 

What They Did:

To shift from a direct-response focus to a brand-building campaign, Sky and its agency MediaCom launched their first CTV campaign using the Quantcast Advertising Platform. The goal was to educate viewers, increase brand familiarity, and validate the media spend with real-time data.

To do this, they implemented Brand Lift Live by Quantcast™, a tool that measures campaign performance while it’s still running. The tool offers real-time insights into how different creatives, audiences, and devices performed, enabling immediate optimizations.

The Results:

• 35% lift in product familiarity, with 96% confidence
• Cross-device reporting showed CTV directly drove traffic to Sky Glass product pages
• Creative was adapted mid-flight based on measurement insights
• The campaign proved that CTV could influence both brand consideration and site engagement

Why it Worked:

Sky didn’t just launch a video campaign; they used live data to adjust their creative strategy and target high-performing segments, improving results without waiting for a post-campaign report. CTV became a brand education tool that reached households on the largest screen in the home.

2. Miléade: Driving Conversions Through Full-Funnel CTV Strategy

Miléade, a French brand offering all-inclusive hotel clubs and holiday villages, wanted to raise awareness and boost bookings for their family-friendly destinations. They recognized that CTV could showcase their properties in high-quality video on the biggest screen in the home, which is ideal for inspiring travel decisions.

What They Did:

Miléade worked with Quantcast to develop a full-funnel strategy that combined CTV with display retargeting. They built custom audiences including families with children during school holidays, couples with young children during off-peak times, and older travelers likely to travel together. CTV ads were used to build awareness with visually rich content that showcased their properties. Audiences exposed to CTV were then retargeted with display ads to encourage booking. Lookalike targeting helped expand their reach to similar high-intent users.

The Results:

• 11x return on ad spend (ROAS)
• Frequency was optimized to avoid overexposure and increase reach
• 60% of conversions happened within 24 hours of the last touch
• CTV primed audiences, making follow-up messaging more effective
• The campaign reached families across age groups, with strong results in both the 30–44 and 65+ segments

Why it Worked:

Miléade turned CTV into a performance driver, not just an awareness play. Their creative was tailored for big screens, while the strategy ensured prospects were followed up with action-driving messages. The full-funnel approach proved that brand storytelling and performance marketing work best together.

3. Auto Trader: Reaching Cord-Cutters and Expanding Audience Reach

Auto Trader, the UK’s largest digital automotive marketplace, wanted to test how CTV could complement their linear TV efforts and expand their total reach. With more viewers watching only through streaming services, the goal was to connect with digital-first consumers and drive site visits.

What They Did:

Auto Trader mirrored their linear TV buy with a connected TV campaign with Quantcast. This allowed them to track incremental reach using Audience Project, a measurement solution that identifies which audiences were only reached through CTV. 

By comparing audiences reached through linear TV vs. CTV, Auto Trader could understand how much of their audience was unique to streaming platforms—and how effectively CTV was driving engagement.

The Results:

• 51% incremental reach beyond linear TV, equating to 0.9% of the UK population
• CTV helped Auto Trader connect with 18–34 year olds, where 74–77% could only be reached through streaming
• The campaign also drove significant site traffic at a low cost per site visit (CPSV)

Why it worked:

Auto Trader expanded their total reach by tapping into digital-first consumers. This CTV campaign helped them capture a younger, previously unreachable audience and drive action efficiently. For advertisers heavily invested in TV, this proved that CTV is essential to extending audience reach in today’s fragmented landscape.

What Makes These CTV Campaigns Stand Out?

Across all three brands, there were key success factors that made these CTV campaigns stand out:

Audience precision: Whether using lookalikes, interest-based segments, or contextual relevance, each brand reached the right audience at the right time. CTV allowed them to go beyond demographic targeting and focus on intent.

Measurement focus: All three brands used in-flight analytics to adjust and optimize campaigns. Tools like Brand Lift Live helped identify top-performing creatives, audiences, and platforms while the campaign remained active.

Full-funnel strategy: CTV worked best when paired with display or other channels. Video built interest, while follow-up ads converted it into action. This approach ensured that every viewer interaction moved closer to a conversion.

Platform fit: These advertisers created high-quality, visually engaging content explicitly made for large-format screens. Whether showcasing a vacation destination or explaining a new product, their creative matched the viewing environment.

These case studies show that CTV advertising can do more than build awareness. Combined with innovative strategy and real-time data, it can drive measurable impact, from site traffic and consideration to conversions and revenue.

Whether your goal is to educate, convert, or expand reach, CTV offers a high-impact, measurable way to engage modern audiences. And as traditional TV continues to decline, CTV is proving to be a necessary addition to every brand’s media strategy.