Is AdTechRadar sorta journalism? A blog? Who knows!
No, but seriously, the DOOH = CTV concept is an interesting one that stems from a great AdExchanger article published last week. In the article, there was this quietly spicy passage:
But T-Mobile’s move – and Atmosphere’s business model – also put a spotlight on the gray area between DOOH billboards and connected TV. This gray area – Chris Kane, founder of Jounce Media, calls it “sorta CTV” – includes TV screens that play video with ad breaks in public places.
The idea of DOOH (digital-out-of-home) being classified as CTV is intriguing because, on the surface, they serve very different viewing use cases and typically exist in different environments. However, Chris Kane’s point has some logic to it.
That said, if an advertiser is buying CTV, would they consider DOOH part of that buy? That’s where the debate really begins.
Some have pushed back on this idea, arguing that calling DOOH screens “sorta CTV” is misleading:
Chris responded with a counterpoint:
Brad doubled down:
The argument or really a discussion here really revolves around the definition and classification of certain DOOH screens as CTV or something adjacent to it, like “sorta CTV.”
To recap:
Brad’s position:
- Brad disagrees with the idea of calling OOH screens “sorta CTV” after the fact, arguing that they weren’t considered TV before the advent of CTV.
- He believes this classification confuses the market and creates unnecessary noise.
- He draws a distinction between point-of-purchase (POP) TVs (e.g., screens in grocery stores showing ads and promos) and traditional TV-like experiences (e.g., watching a football game at a bar).
- His core argument is that a screen playing only ads should not be equated to CTV or traditional TV, as it lacks entertainment content.
Chris’ Position:
- Chris suggests that if watching a football game at a bar is considered TV, then other public screens playing video could also be seen as a form of TV.
- His argument appears to be that the setting doesn’t change the fundamental nature of the screen as a TV—if a bar TV counts, why not other public screens?
The Disagreement:
- The debate hinges on whether all public video screens with ads qualify as TV or “sorta CTV.”
- Chris is broadening the definition of TV-like experiences in public spaces, while Brad is pushing back, insisting that not all screens playing video should be lumped into the CTV category, particularly those that exist purely for advertising purposes rather than for entertainment or live programming.
What side are you on?
Why This Matters:
This debate reflects a larger industry conversation: Where does DOOH fit in the CTV ecosystem? As CTV ad budgets grow, should DOOH be included in that mix? Are advertisers willing to consider DOOH as part of their CTV strategy, or does it remain a separate category?
Interestingly, both categories are growing. According to an IAB report, CTV ad spend grew 12% in 2024. Meanwhile, DOOH ad spend in 2024 broke a few records and is trending up after the T-Mobile and Vistar deal.
Experts React:
Hey, there were a lot of opinions on this one:
Our Take:
There isn’t a clear, enforceable standard. Per Eric Tilbury of Inuvo, “The bid request for DOOH comes through in the same way as CTV,” and if you’re “set to target CTV without clearly defining which inventory sources to include, DOOH placements can slip into the buy.”
This probably highlights the need for better classification systems beyond just bid request data to ensure (sorta) advertisers have clearer distinctions between CTV and DOOH inventory when making buys.
