The next time you turn on your living room TV, you’ll likely open a streaming app before you ever touch a traditional channel. Movies, series, sports, and even live channels are reaching the big screen via the internet, not cable. This is what we call CTV.
In April 2025, Comscore and the Media Research Council reported that connected TV in Mexico reached a point of maturity, with 51.1 million users, representing 65% of the country's internet users according to this CTV market analysis. Simply put: the majority of people who use the internet in Mexico now consume content on their TVs through connected apps and devices.
This shift is transforming the television business, how advertising is purchased, and ultimately, how brands connect with people. Understanding what CTV is, how it works, and what makes it different from traditional television or simple online video is no longer just for media "gurus"—it’s essential for anyone looking to plan their marketing effectively.
What exactly is CTV?
CTV stands for "Connected TV." In short, it is any television that connects to the internet and allows you to use apps to watch content: streaming platforms, FAST channels (free ad-supported TV), broadcast or cable network apps, video games, and more. It doesn't matter if it's a smart TV, a streaming dongle, or a console; as long as the screen is connected and content is consumed via the internet, you are talking about CTV.
Unlike traditional television, where content arrives via cable, satellite, or broadcast signals and is viewed on a fixed schedule, CTV works on demand. The viewer chooses what to watch and when to watch it, within an app environment very similar to a smartphone, but on a big screen and with a more "living room" experience, often shared with family or friends.
Another key point: CTV isn't just Netflix, Prime Video, or ad-free subscription platforms. The connected TV universe also includes free ad-supported apps, live signals distributed over the internet, and channel or aggregator apps that combine on-demand content with linear programming.
How CTV works in Mexico (without the technical jargon)
Behind that seemingly simple experience of choosing a series with your remote control lies an entire technological chain. When a user opens a streaming app on their TV, the platform connects to servers that send compressed video content over the internet. The application receives it, "unpacks" it, and displays it in the best possible quality based on the connection speed.
Advertising enters this flow as part of the content itself. Apps or platforms reserve specific slots within the video (before, during, or after the program, or as banners within the interface). These slots are filled with ads that are usually delivered programmatically: an automated system decides, in milliseconds, which campaign to show based on the user's profile, the type of content, the time of day, and other factors.
To the end user, it all feels like "regular TV," just with more control. For advertisers and agencies, the magic lies in the fact that CTV blends the massive reach of television with data and targeting capabilities much more similar to the digital world. Campaigns can be limited by region, interests, content type, device, and frequency, and can even be cross-referenced with other digital channels, always within the limits allowed by regulations and the privacy policies of each platform.
Who is watching CTV in Mexico and why it matters to brands
One of the biggest myths is that connected TV is "only for young, tech-savvy people." The reality in Mexico is much broader, although there is a clear concentration among young adults. A study by Comscore and the Media Research Council revealed that, in 2024, 66% of adults consuming CTV in the country were in the 25 to 44 age range according to this analysis of the CTV audience in MexicoIn other words, this group holds the highest purchasing power and decision-making influence in many households.
This makes CTV especially relevant for categories like banking, automotive, telecommunications, retail, technology, education, travel, and more. You aren't just reaching people watching premium content on the big screen; you are engaging users at a life stage where they make major decisions regarding housing, family, investments, professional development, and lifestyle.
Alejandro Enríquez, Custom Solutions Lead LATAM at Comscore, summarizes the potential for the advertising ecosystem well by noting that this trend translates into unique opportunities for advertisers and agencies to optimize their investment and measure their impact with precision according to his statements reported by the industry. Translated into a brand's day-to-day operations: less wasted ad spend, more focus on the audiences that truly matter, and metrics that allow you to understand how well each effort is performing.
Key advantages of advertising on CTV
For many brands, the main draw of CTV is the ability to be on the "premium screen" of the home without relying on traditional TV buying models. Content is viewed on a large screen with high-quality image and sound, in a context where attention is typically higher than on mobile devices. Combined with targeting, this makes the advertising experience much more effective.
According to the "Digital Marketing Trends Impacted by Technology and Data" report by IAB Mexico and Samsung, streaming content viewership in Mexico grew by 26.7% in just seven months of 2024, consolidating an accelerated adoption that is projected to continue throughout 2025 according to this report on CTV and streaming. More time spent on streaming platforms means more opportunities to show ads in brand-safe environments with enough inventory to plan robust campaigns.
The impact is not just on audience, but also on business. In 2024, the streaming market in Mexico generated $6.7537 billion in revenue and is expected to reach $21.663 billion by 2030, driven largely by the rise of CTV and ad-supported models according to figures from the streaming and CTV industry in Mexico. For the advertiser, this translates into an increasingly serious ecosystem with more inventory supply, better measurement tools, and more format options.
Among the advantages most valued by brands are:
- Massive reach in a high-quality visual environment.
- Advanced targeting based on behavioral and contextual data.
- Detailed measurement: impressions, completed views, frequency, incremental reach versus linear TV, and, in some cases, business outcomes linked to exposure.
- Creative flexibility: from traditional spots adapted for CTV to interactive formats or creative sequences that follow the user across screens.
How to start advertising on CTV in Mexico
Entering CTV doesn't mean throwing away your current media strategy. Rather, it’s about integrating it intelligently into your video mix. A common starting point is using connected TV to complement broadcast or cable TV campaigns, focusing on audiences that have already migrated to streaming and are not effectively reached through traditional channels.
A practical way to get started is to work with partners (agencies, adtech, media companies) that already have experience in programmatic buying and video campaign measurement. They can usually help define objectives, audiences, formats, and key metrics. It is standard to start with campaigns focused on reach and brand impact, and then move on to more advanced goals like site traffic, sign-ups, or even sales attributed to campaign exposure.
For campaigns to work, creativity matters just as much as targeting. Ads designed for CTV are usually more direct, visually clear, and adapted for the big screen, which is often shared by multiple people. Simple messages, clear branding from the start, stories that are easy to follow without audio (in case someone is watching at low volume), and calls to action that fit the environment usually make all the difference.
Trends and the future of CTV in Mexico
CTV is moving beyond being "the new thing" to becoming a permanent pillar of media planning in Mexico. In August 2025, Comscore reported that connected TV solidified its position as the fastest-growing medium in the country for the second consecutive year, reinforcing its strategic role for brands looking to combine reach, targeting, and measurable results according to this industry report on CTV. That pace of expansion suggests that inventory, tools, and competition will continue to grow.
Hybrid models (subscription plus ads) are expected to gain more weight within streaming platforms, which will open up even more ad space in premium content. Free ad-supported channels are also gaining traction, replicating a traditional "zapping" experience but with fully digital distribution.
For brands, the challenge will be to move from just "being there" on CTV to building consistent strategies: defining what role it plays within the funnel, how it coordinates with social media, online video, and linear TV campaigns, and how to measure the true contribution of connected TV to the business. Those who quickly understand the language of CTV—its metrics, formats, and creative possibilities—will have an advantage in a landscape where the living room screen is once again the protagonist, but now with the precision and flexibility of the digital world.
If you are convinced by the potential of CTV and are ready to take your brand to the next level, Masha is your perfect partner. With our platform, you can launch your streaming TV advertising campaign simply, quickly, and affordably. You don't need large budgets or complicated contracts; starting from $2,000 MXN and with prices as low as $0.01 per view, you can start reaching your specific audience, choosing streaming platforms, segmenting by geographic location and interests, and monitoring your campaign performance with real-time metrics. Ready to launch your first TV campaign? Sign up in less than 5 minutes and discover how Masha is democratizing TV advertising for SMEs in Mexico.
