Shifting Gears: CTV and Automotive Data Set the Pace for Holiday Advertising
With less than 60 days left in 2025, the race to capture auto shoppers’ attention is shifting into high gear, and connected TV (CTV) is powering ahead as the preferred channel for both brands and buyers. In the U.S., more than 90% of households will stream via CTV this year, making the living room the hottest showroom in the market.
Why CTV Is Now the Engine for Auto Marketers
Americans are watching TV differently; spending 47% of their total TV time on CTV platforms while also multitasking across mobile and desktop. With CTV ads spend topping $32.6 billion and audiences 32% more reachable than on linear alone, leading car brands can’t afford to sit on the sidelines.
- 61% of car shoppers report they tune into CTV ads for vehicle comparisons and special holiday offers.
- Holiday shopping windows are shortening, making real-time data the spark that ignites faster buyer journeys.
Data Drives Results: Privacy-First Targeting & Intent
Brands that leverage intent data and privacy-first ID graphs like VentiveIQ’s put their ads exactly where shoppers are making decisions. By layering automotive in-market signals with CTV, marketers adapt to shifting buyer needs without missing consumer privacy beats.
- Audience customization lets you show sedan offers to city dwellers and promote trucks to active outdoor families, all with measurable, responsible impact.
Success Story: Ford Accelerates Leads With CTV
Ford tapped CTV campaigns with digital measurement to move metal for its F-150 series, engaging in-market truck buyers during Thanksgiving bowl games and year-end dealership pushes. According to Amazon Ads, Ford dealerships nationwide saw a measurable increase in both website visits and store traffic directly tied to CTV impressions, demonstrating not just brand lift but real-world footfall and lead generation. (Source: Advertising Amazon)
Roadmap for 2026: Streamlined, Data-Driven, Ready to Scale
Between holiday momentum and fast-moving consumer trends, the convergence of automotive data and CTV is set to deliver the industry’s best end-of-year returns. VentiveIQ’s privacy-first ID graph equips marketers for these dynamic shifts, turning insights into action just as new keys hit the ignition.
How VentiveIQ Powers Automotive Success
VentiveIQ specializes in unifying data sources, including auto ownership, purchase intent, and cross-channel behaviors into robust, privacy-compliant audience profiles for advertisers. Using precision CTV viewership modeling and enriched automotive signals, VentiveIQ empowers dealerships, OEMs, and agencies to activate campaigns that reach real shoppers at their most critical decision-making moments.
The open and independent platform allows marketers to break through cookie limitations, onboard first-party data, and seamlessly reach audiences across CTV, web, and mobile. This means smarter segmenting, measurable attribution, and campaigns optimized for both scale and relevance, driving more showroom visits and conversions, not just impressions.
Looking to accelerate your results? Connect with VentiveIQ’s experts for a custom demo and discover how data-driven CTV and auto strategies can put your brand in the fast lane for 2026. Visit our contact page to learn more.
