The New Pecking Order

With digital streaming gaining steady ground, Connected TV ad rates have finally surpassed traditional Linear TV.

Half a century ago, 3 people founded Apple Computer in a garage in Los Altos to invent the personal computer. Unbeknownst to them, they were laying the foundation for what was to become the world’s most valuable company many decades later. 

Today, the tech world has pivoted so sharply, that Apple is forced to reinvent itself yet again.

Entertainment Business Consumer Touchpoints

The entertainment industry has also evolved steadily to take advantage of developments in technology. Today’s entertainment industry can be classified into 4 categories, based on the viewership touchpoints.

  1. Viewership Via Linear Television (Legacy)
    Linear Television represents the traditional TV sets which have been around for many decades. Traditional TV sets have no processors and have to rely on DTH & Cable set top boxes for content broadcast via Satellite or Cable. These are considered old generation and generally not linked to premium viewership.
  2. Viewership Via Connected Television (CTV)
    The new generation of TV sets come with built-in processors,  memory & connectors for the Internet. More expensive than the older models, these are preferred by upwardly mobile consumers in general.
    Major TV manufacturers have embedded OS software in their TV sets – either their own or in tie up with software vendors like Google. This combination of OS (software) + TV set (hardware) is called the Connected TV or CTV in short.
    These TV sets simply use the available, last mile Internet connectivity to receive standard digital signals from the various independent content providers & platforms. And play back the same as videos.
    The sole purpose is to improve the viewing experience.
    Content sources include independent TV channel streams as well as large,  stand-alone platforms – each with their own independent revenue models. A few TV OS software which are popular in India are Google TV, Samsung TV, & LG TV. 
  3. Viewership Via Over-The-Top Direct  Streaming Services (OTT)
    Independent platforms which invest in content production & acquisition have set up their own digital streaming infrastructure. These services are called OTT (short for Over The Top) as the content can be viewed over multiple devices like mobile phones, laptops, tablets, & of course CTV. A few well-known OTT platforms in India are Netflix, Jio Hotstar, Amazon Prime, YouTube who offer subscription-based streaming services directly to their viewers. The content may be exclusive, original or classic. It includes movies, serials, & live events, mostly with sole streaming rights. 
    (As mentioned above, OTT platforms have integrated with multiple CTV OS software, where they are available as standalone apps within the platform.)
  4. Viewership Via Out-of-home Theatres, Venues
    The 4th touchpoint completes the ‘picture’!
    For decades, we have enjoyed movies & events in theatres & other venues.This is a legacy medium which has upgraded to digital projection technology. And Indian online booking platforms like BookMyShow, PayTM, & District are facilitating online ticketing for Indian theatres & venues.

 

The New Pecking Order for Ad Rates

Where the viewers gather, can the ads be far behind?
The astronomical ad rates for the recently concluded IPL 2026 bears  testimony to this. Btw, the IPL 2026 Advertising Rate Trends also confirmed the new pecking order, which acknowledges the relative purchasing power of their respective viewers. 

  • CTV base rates for IPL 2026 went up by 30% year-on-year.
  • Mobile OTT base rate for IPL 2026 was pegged at roughly 70% that of CTV.
  • Linear TV base rate for IPL 2026 though substantial, remained stagnant.
The Future

More & more consumers are switching seamlessly between screens while on the move, to stay connected with their favourite streaming content.  Marketers will naturally want to track & measure ad viewership habits across these screens & platforms. 

 

When all touch points are based on authenticated login-ins, this should be easier than consuming a cookie!

Share

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Ad Tech

Showing The Mirror!

Everybody who’s been around for 40 years or more will agree that “human intelligence” is valued much less today, than ever before!
Read More
Ad Tech

The New Pecking Order

With digital streaming gaining steady ground, Connected TV ad rates have finally surpassed traditional Linear TV.
Read More
Ad Tech

Real Time Marketing in the AI Era

With AI as the future infrastructure, marketing campaigns will run in auto mode across multiple platforms.
Read More
Rocket
How aDintelle came to be
Back in February 2017, we launched the first version of aDintellé (then called aDintell). With Print, TV & Radio modules along with a basic Virtual...
Read More
Single Platform for All Your Agency Business Needs dark (1)
Single Platform for All Your Agency Business Needs
In the fast-paced world of advertising, where deadlines are tight and clients are demanding, agencies need to stay ahead of the game to ensure...
Read More
image (13) 1
Tectonic shift of Entertainment consumption in India: The streaming revolution
India has witnessed a tectonic shift in cricket consumption.
Read More
AdIntelle-Blog2 image 1
Interesting But Predictable Trends in India's Advertising Landscape
Year on year digital ad spend has been on the rise, and 2023 is no exception. Meanwhile TV, Print, Radio & Outdoor media continue to shrink /...
Read More
Social search web adintelle 1
FUTURE OF SOCIAL WEB 2025-26
Have you ever wondered how the landscape of social web search will evolve in the coming years?
Read More
Agency Management blog image 1
Using Accounting Software Alone for Your Agency? Think Again.
The complex ecosystem of ad agency operations involves constant balancing of financial management with creative endeavors.
Read More
Adintelle_Blog image
A Silent Ad Agency Revolution
Since the past decade or more, digital agencies have been increasingly offering full services, with added focus on creative strategy
Read More
adintelle _last_blog_image 1
Transforming TV Ad Operations: How aDintelle Revolutionized Billing for India's Premier Agency
In the fast-paced world of agency conglomerates, where every second counts and accuracy is paramount, billing for TV advertisements poses a significant...
Read More
Pilgrim's Progress
A Pilgrim’s Progress
It's been 3 decades since we established Mediaware as a software service for ad agencies.
Read More
Blog1
How will ad agencies operate in the gig economy, driven by LLM?
It's been 3 decades since we established Mediaware as a software service for ad agencies. And here we are, still relevant after 3 decades!
Read More

End to end agency operations suite

Looking for multiple solutions?

A crazy bunch of marketers, techies and product enthusiasts trying to build the next big thing!

Our Story

Driven by a passion for empowering advertising agencies, aDintelle is on a mission to redefine the way agencies work and supporting them in achieving their fullest potential.

About Us

Our team of dedicated professionals is committed to delivering excellence by providing cutting-edge software solutions tailored to agencies' unique needs and enabling them to achieve remarkable results.

Join Us

We are a dynamic team of young and experienced members where talented individuals can thrive and make a significant impact while also having some fun!