A major barrier to TV advertising for DTC brands is the cost of producing a commercial. AI tools are solving this by modifying existing search and social media creative for CTV formats, allowing brands to enter the TV space without a dedicated, high-budget production shoot.
When brands hit a point of diminishing returns on search and social media, TV becomes a critical next step. It provides incremental reach to new audiences, builds brand legitimacy, and can accelerate the path to purchase for customers discovered on other channels.
Historically, TV advertising required massive budgets and long commitments. Self-serve connected TV (CTV) platforms now offer low minimums, allowing DTC brands to test and iterate creative with the same agility and small budgets used for search and social channels.
Marketers often view advertising platforms through a mobile lens (iOS, Android). However, Roku is the third-largest operating system in the US overall and the #1 TV OS. This massive, often underestimated, scale provides advertisers with unparalleled reach and data for the living room screen.
When a consumer interacts with a TV ad and receives a follow-up text, the sender matters. A message from a trusted platform like Roku, rather than an unknown brand, lends credibility and acts as a powerful "co-sign," making the consumer more likely to trust and engage with the product.
While often seen as an upper-funnel tool, CTV is a powerful engine for new customer acquisition. It reaches untapped audiences that are saturated on social platforms. For example, hair care brand Lola V saw a 53% increase in new customers year-over-year from their Roku campaign.
Unlike traditional marketers who stayed within an industry (e.g., CPG), modern growth leaders have a transferable skillset. Expertise in lifecycle marketing, LTV, and ROAS allows them to move from an insurance company to a hair care brand, applying the same core growth playbook successfully.
Advertising platforms with operating system-level access have unique data advantages. Roku, for example, can identify a "frequent traveler" audience segment by detecting when a user's device plugs into different Wi-Fi networks in new locations, a powerful and deterministic signal for travel brands.