Emerging Trends: CTV, Retail Media, and Contextual Targeting

Beyond mergers and privacy concerns, several transformative trends are shaping the future of adtech. Among them, Connected TV (CTV) advertising, retail media networks, and contextual targeting are gaining significant momentum.

• Connected TV (CTV) & Streaming Ads:
  CTV advertising is revolutionizing how brands engage with audiences, offering more precise targeting than traditional linear TV. With consumers increasingly shifting to platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube TV, advertisers are reallocating budgets to digital video formats. The ability to use programmatic ad buying for CTV allows for data-driven, dynamic ad placements, making it a lucrative space for brands in 2025.

• Retail Media Networks:
  E-commerce platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify are investing heavily in their retail media networks (RMNs)—advertising ecosystems within their marketplaces that allow brands to target shoppers directly at the point of purchase. This trend is expected to expand in 2025, with more retailers developing their own ad networks to compete with traditional digital ad platforms like Google and Facebook. Brands are increasingly leveraging RMNs to enhance their first-party data strategies and optimize ad spend with measurable results.

• Contextual Targeting Makes a Comeback:
  With the decline of cookie-based tracking, contextual targeting—delivering ads based on the content of a webpage rather than user data—is making a strong comeback. AI-powered contextual ad solutions are now capable of analyzing page sentiment, video content, and even audio signals to determine the best ad placements. As consumer privacy concerns grow, contextual targeting will emerge as a sustainable and effective advertising method in 2025.

Final Thoughts

As the adtech industry heads into 2025, the landscape will be shaped by continued M&A activity, AI-driven innovation, privacy-first solutions, and emerging trends like CTV and retail media networks. Advertisers and tech companies that adapt to these changes while maintaining compliance with evolving privacy laws will be best positioned for success. The industry is moving towards a future where data-driven precision and user trust must go hand in hand, ensuring that adtech remains a dynamic and evolving space.