The future of TV ads: an ecosystem in turmoil... without advertisers

A European dynamic that is gaining momentum

One of the highlights of the event was the mapping of the European CTV (Connected TV) market, which is now emerging as the new battleground for media companies. With an estimated value of over €30 billion by 2024, CTV is no longer a niche technology but a central pillar of the video advertising economy.

On a continental scale, France, Germany and Spain are now driving European growth, with rates well above those seen in the United States. France stands out in particular, with an average annual growth rate of 23% forecast between 2025 and 2032, ahead of the European average (EU4) of +14% and the US average of +11%. This acceleration reflects not only technological catch-up, but above all a new maturity among French players in the integration of new video formats, data logic and monetisation tools.

However, this boom comes with high expectations: it is no longer enough to increase inventory volumes; their perceived and measurable value must also be increased. As such, advertising agencies and platforms are now demanding highly operational responses. The priority is clear: to avoid marginalisation in the face of global platforms such as YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video, which capture the majority of attention... and investment.

It is in this context that seven levers have been identified as potential accelerators of future growth:

1. One-stop streaming, capable of bringing together live, replay and premium content in a unified interface.

2. Cross-environment navigation, via smarter metadata and deep link management.

3. Consolidation between publishers, advertising agencies and operating systems, to offer unified and interoperable services.

4. Hybrid measurement (audiences + attention + conversion), expected to be the missing link in monetisation.

5. Activation of the entire funnel, from awareness to conversion in real time, within the same ecosystem.

6. Opening up to new advertisers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses that have been under-exposed to CTV until now.

7. The development of ‘off-site’ retailer media, with an extension of e-commerce logic into the television environment., with an extension of e-commerce logic into the television environment.

In summary, Europe has clearly recognised its potential in terms of CTV. However, this potential can only be realised if two challenges are overcome: capitalising on attention in an ultra-fragmented environment and creating fluid bridges between traditional media and digital activation strategies.

Agencies and Ad Sales Houses: a vital need for transformation

If one message resonated strongly throughout the morning, it was this: the historic promise of linear advertising – its firepower, its massive reach – is no longer enough on its own to justify investment. For the media agencies and advertising sales houses present, the new equation for advertising performance revolves around four pillars: visibility, engagement, credibility and transformation. And it is in this combination that value now lies.

Behind the rhetoric lies a shared realisation: the era of ‘campaign delivered = mission accomplished’ is over. Advertisers are constantly pushing for ROI. It is no longer enough to reach people; you have to convince them. And to convince them, you have to capture their attention, generate interaction and activate concrete signals of trust. Hence the growing interest in approaches that combine storytelling, social proof, calls to action and intelligent data.

In this context, artificial intelligence is emerging as a catalyst for transformation. The A.I. Lab workshops illustrated the diversity of creative uses:

• The Blender Machine to intelligently combine the available data;

• The Creative Expander to tailor assets to each audience segment;

• The Idea-Powered Machine to generate new advertising formats based on unexpected insights;

• The Prototyping Machine to rapidly industrialise testable creative concepts.

The ambition is clear: to move from a campaign-based approach to a platform-based approach, where every media contact becomes an opportunity for dialogue and conversion. This is precisely what CTV enables when it is designed as an interactive, measurable, personalised environment – rather than simply a digital extension of linear TV.

The most concrete illustration of this came from the “Shop with Max” initiative presented by Canal+ Brand Solutions. By allowing viewers to scan a QR code and purchase products seen in a programme directly, this approach merges content, inspiration and commerce. Television becomes a point of sale, and the screen a trigger for purchases.

For BuyTryShare, this dynamic is particularly relevant. Because ‘shopable’ is only truly effective when it is credible. By integrating authentic reviews – verified, certified, contextualised – into the media formats themselves, BuyTryShare offers a concrete response to the expectations expressed: high-quality social proof, integrated into a premium media ecosystem, serving advertising impact and conversion.

The need for transformation is therefore much more than a technological imperative: it is a reinvention of the very role of agencies and advertising networks, which are now expected to deliver concrete, measurable and justifiable value.

And what about advertisers in all this?

This is undoubtedly the most striking paradox of this event, which was entirely dedicated to the future of TV advertising: brands – despite being the most affected – were virtually absent. Apart from ProSol (Grand Frais), Swarovski and La Vie, no significant representative from the advertising world spoke, nor were they even mentioned as a driving force in the discussions presented.

This lack of representation is not merely anecdotal: it reveals a systemic imbalance. The entire ecosystem – advertising agencies, AdTechs, platforms – claims to ‘work for advertisers’, but often without them. Their voice is indirect, interpreted, sometimes fantasised, rarely embodied. Yet, in a context where every euro invested is under pressure, where every format must prove its value, this absence is worrying.

This is not just a matter of symbolic participation. What we felt was a lack of a clear vision of advertisers' expectations, their operational constraints and their actual decision-making criteria. Which indicators do they prioritise? What level of simplification do they expect? What proof of impact do they require before testing an innovation? These are all questions that remain unanswered.

This void creates a major strategic opportunity for players such as BuyTryShare, whose proposition is based precisely on co-construction with brands. The PoC model promoted by the platform – simple, measurable, time-limited – is a direct response to this asymmetry. Because to generate value, we need to move away from top-down discourse and return to the essentials: the concrete business expectations of advertising decision-makers.

Involving brands early on, right from the design stage, offering them tangible proof of performance (increased brand recall, QR code click-through rates, net sentiment, etc.), and allowing them to compare the results with their traditional media plan: this is what BuyTryShare makes possible. And this is what is still lacking in a part of the advertising industry that is too focused on itself.

It is time to put advertisers back at the centre of media decisions, not as spectators but as co-pilots. The era of ‘solutions for brands without brands’ must give way to participatory, transparent approaches focused on ROI, customer experience and credibility.

Conclusion: reconnecting issues, refocusing priorities

The “Future of TV Ads” event highlighted a rapidly evolving advertising ecosystem that is technically advanced and strategically ambitious, but still too often self-centred. CTV is no longer a gamble: it is a reality. The technologies are there, the targeting capabilities exist, and the infrastructure is improving. And yet, the central question remains unanswered: what is the practical benefit of all this for brands?

Because innovation only makes sense if it is actionable, understandable and profitable for advertisers. They are the ones who decide, who arbitrate, who have to justify their investments. And today, they demand proof, not promises. Results, not just concepts.

BuyTryShare is part of this pragmatic approach. Our role is not to add another layer of complexity, but to facilitate the integration of social proof into existing media systems, without disrupting plans or creating heavy technical dependencies, but with a clear promise: more attention, more credibility, and more measurable impact.

The event reinforced our belief that there is strong demand for solutions like ours – solutions that create value at the intersection of media and customer testimonials. However, this value must be built with those who need it most: advertisers.

In 2025, it will no longer be enough to talk about transformation. We will have to prove that it is beneficial, that it works, that it converts.

BuyTryShare is ready.