Addressable TV
Addressable TV is the capability to deliver different ads to different households watching the same program, using data to target at the household level across linear and streaming.
Key takeaways
- Addressable TV targets ads at the household level, not the program level.
- The same show can carry different ads for different viewers.
- It spans set-top-box linear and, more flexibly, CTV.
- It relies on household identity graphs and first-party or matched data.
From program buying to household buying
Traditional TV sells audiences by program and rating. Addressable TV instead delivers a specific ad to a specific household, so two homes watching the same episode can see different commercials. This turns TV from a demographic-reach medium into a data-driven, one-to-household channel.
How it's delivered
On linear, addressability historically ran through cable set-top boxes with limited scale. CTV made it far more flexible: because delivery is IP-based, ads can be swapped per stream using identity graphs and matched first-party data, subject to privacy constraints.
| Targeting level | Household |
|---|---|
| Environments | Set-top-box linear and CTV |
| Data basis | Identity graphs, first-party matches |
| Advantage | Precision + digital-grade reporting |
Frequently asked questions
What is addressable TV in simple terms?
It's the ability to show different TV ads to different households watching the same program, using data to decide which household sees which ad.
Is addressable TV the same as CTV?
No. CTV is the delivery channel; addressable TV is the targeting capability. CTV makes addressability easier, but addressable ads also exist in set-top-box linear.