CTV ads are video ads that play on a television connected to the internet, through streaming apps and smart TV platforms. To make creative for them, build for a big screen, a lean-back viewer and a phone in their hand: one message, a clear opening, sound that works, and a call to action that suits a TV.
Quick takeaways
- Screen: Design for 16:9 at 1920 x 1080, and check the buyer's spec sheet before export.
- Message: One idea per spot. The viewer is watching a show, not scrolling.
- Action: A TV can't be tapped, so the next step has to move to the phone, a search or a QR code.
- Specs: Platforms differ, so treat any spec list as a starting point and confirm with the publisher.
How Is CTV Creative Different From Social?
CTV creative is built for a shared, larger screen where the viewer sits back and can't tap. A vertical social cut, with captions over a face and a button in the corner, loses most of what makes it work.
Three differences matter most. The frame is horizontal. The viewer often hears the ad, so sound design is part of the picture. And the response happens somewhere else, usually on a phone, so the creative has to carry the next step in words and graphics. Our read: treat a CTV spot as a short film with one job, not a resized social ad.
What Technical Specs Does a CTV Ad Need?
Start from the publisher's own sheet, because specs change by platform and by buy. Yahoo's CTV video spec page lists MOV or MP4 files at 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 in 16:9, a 300 MB maximum, a constant frame rate of 24 or 30 fps, a bitrate of 15 to 60 Mbps and audio of at least 192 Kbps at 48 kHz (Yahoo Ad Specs). Treat that as a worked example as of November 2026, not a universal standard.
| Item | Yahoo's CTV spec | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | 16:9, 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 | Shoot and grade for 1080p |
| Frame rate | 24 or 30 fps, constant | Match the native rate, no conversion |
| File | MOV or MP4, up to 300 MB | Export a clean master per publisher |
| Audio | 192 Kbps or higher, 48 kHz | Mix for a living room, not earbuds |
Ask each platform for its loudness target and length rules before the edit is locked.
How Should You Open and Structure the Spot?
Open on the brand idea or the problem within the first few seconds, and keep one message. The viewer was just handed this break and has no reason to wait for a slow build.
A simple order works: a visual hook, the single claim shown not told, proof or product in use, then an end card with the action. Show the brand early and again at the end, but avoid a logo stamped across every shot. For subtitles, use clear type sized for a distance, since some viewers watch with the volume low.
How Do You Write a Call to Action for a TV Screen?
Move the action to the device the viewer holds. That means a short searchable phrase, a clear offer or a QR code, not "click here".
If you use a QR code, QRStuff advises a 7 to 10 second floor on screen and 10 to 15 seconds as the recommended time, and notes that 15-second spots rarely leave enough time to scan (QRStuff). It also recommends high contrast, a clean quiet zone and testing on a real TV at viewing distance. Pair the code with a reason to scan, such as an offer or a product page that loads fast on mobile.
Can You Reuse a TV Spot on CTV?
Often yes, but not unchanged. A broadcast spot can carry the idea, yet it may need a new end card, a different action and a version cut for the buy's length. Plan the master with that in mind: keep titles and logos inside safe areas, record clean audio stems and shoot a few extra seconds at the end.
For a deeper look at cutting down a long film, read how to make a 30-second ad, and see our OTT and streaming production work for series-length content.
Brief Your Next CTV Spot
Bring the single message, the platform list and the page the viewer should reach, and we'll shape the creative around them. Schedule a call to talk it through.
FAQ
CTV ads are video ads that run on internet-connected televisions, usually inside streaming apps. They play on a large screen, so the creative should be horizontal, clear from a distance and built around one message.
It depends on the platform and the buy, so confirm with the publisher. If you use a QR code, QRStuff says 15-second spots rarely leave time to scan, which argues for longer spots in that case (QRStuff).
CTV is horizontal, watched on a larger screen and heard as well as seen. The viewer can't tap, so the action moves to a phone, a search term or a QR code. Social cuts built for tapping and silent autoplay usually need rebuilding.
You can reuse the idea and much of the footage. Plan a new end card, a response path that works on a phone and any length versions the buy needs, and check the publisher's file specs.
Pick the measure before the brief. Options include scans or visits from a tracked link, branded search and site traffic after exposure, and a platform's own reporting. Treat each as a signal, and agree what counts as success up front.
