How CTV is turning viewers into buyers

By Leslie Adams, Sales Director at Reach Africa

Not long ago, watching television was a shared ritual: families gathered around the same screen, tuning in to the daily soaps or the Sunday night 8pm movie. Today, the experience has become deeply personal. Each viewer chooses what to watch, when to watch and even which ads they see. For marketers, this shift is not just a change in technology; it’s a change in attention…and attention is the currency that drives modern advertising.

New research from Samsung Ads and Kantar shows just how powerful that attention can be. Connected TV (CTV) is not simply another platform in the media mix; it is one that meaningfully lifts brand awareness and purchase intent.

For advertisers navigating Africa’s fast-moving digital landscape, that insight is transformative. The Beyond Awareness study analysed more than 100 brand lift campaigns on Samsung Smart TVs. The findings were clear: CTV exposure drove a 7.9% increase in consumer consideration overall. Among Gen Z viewers aged 18 to 24, it boosted purchase intent by 8.5% and brand favourability by 9.1%. Campaigns that reached audiences four or more times delivered double the impact on key brand metrics.

These results matter in Africa, where viewing habits are evolving rapidly and every marketing rand must work harder. At Reach Africa, we see first-hand how CTV is becoming the home of high-value audiences; peoplewho are more engaged,

more intentional and more receptive to advertising than ever before.

As traditional pay TV splinters and streaming grows, CTV has become where quality attention lives. The global industry is increasingly blending approaches: using linear TV for broad awareness, then layering CTV to deepen engagement and prompt action. The environment is more immersive, the viewer more focused and the targeting far sharper. Moreover, unlike skippable short-form ads on mobile, CTV enables longer storytelling formats that rekindle the emotional power of traditional TV. By matching creative messaging with smart audience data, location and viewing behaviour, we can reach those most likely to act. The result is measurable: higher view-through rates, stronger recall and a clearer path to conversion.

For years, one of the biggest challenges in TV was that it was hard to show attribution. However, with CTV’s digital capabilities, that barrier is starting to fall. Moreover, the brand building power of TV can now be combined with digital’s measurability, to show real impact and return. And the Samsung-Kantar research provides evidence that CTV doesn’t just drive awareness; it influences the entire decision journey, from consideration to intent.

With this data, marketers can now design campaigns that invest confidently in CTV, knowing it contributes to real commercial outcomes. Of course, success on CTV requires more than simply showing up. Strategy matters, and so does frequency. The research found that campaigns seen four or more times achieved nearly twice the uplift of those seen fewer times.

Relevance is equally important. Ads need to fit the content, the moment and the mindset of the viewer. And because attention is earned, not assumed, measurement must be trusted and built on partnerships that can verify both brand impact and behavioural change. In markets like South Africa, where unified measurement standards are still evolving, this will take time – but the imminent Total Video Measurement Service (which replaces TAMS), is set to change that.

The opportunity for African marketers is enormous. CTV reaches audiences when they are relaxed, attentive and open to discovery. It gives advertisers a chance to connect with viewers on the biggest screen in the home, in moments that matter.

As streaming platforms expand across the continent, those moments will only multiply. Brands that start testing, learning and refining their CTV strategies now will be the ones that lead as the market matures.

CTV is no longer just a tool for building awareness. It is shaping how people think, feel and decide what to buy. And with this cutting-edge research to back that up, the message is clear: CTV works. The question is no longer if it drives performance, but how each brand can make it work best.

If you’re ready to explore how CTV can turn your brand’s audience into active buyers, Reach Africa can help. As SA’s leading CTV and streaming specialist, we partner with brands to design data-led, high-impact campaigns that reach audiences across premium environments and deliver measurable results.