How to Scale and Monetize CTV & DOOH in 2026

If 2025 was the year advertisers embraced automation, 2026 will be the year they master the big screens: Connected TV (CTV) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH). These formats have evolved from awareness drivers to performance powerhouses, capturing both attention and measurable results.

Audiences aren’t just watching; they’re engaging like never before. Yet, as agencies and brands pour more of their performance budgets into these channels, many face a common challenge: How do we measure, optimize, and scale across programmatic big-screen environments without losing precision or control?

The answer lies in programmatic transparency, cross-channel data integration, and AI-driven optimization models, forming the trifecta of scalable media success.

Why CTV and DOOH Are Dominating Programmatic Growth

According to Digiday, global CTV ad spend is projected to exceed $45 billion by 2026, while DOOH is growing at nearly 14% year-over-year, outpacing most digital formats. The attraction is clear: both environments merge immersive storytelling with data-driven precision.

Connected TV: The New Prime Time

CTV combines the scale and storytelling power of traditional television with the addressability of programmatic media. Viewers are increasingly shifting to streaming platforms, and advertisers are following, equipped with tools for household-level targeting, real-time optimization, and detailed attribution.

AWS’s cloud infrastructure for AdTech highlights how advertisers are demanding more transparent, scalable solutions for cross-publisher inventory access and data unification across CTV and DOOH environments.

DOOH: Digital Screens That Perform Beyond Awareness

DOOH has moved far beyond billboards. From dynamic mall displays to smart city kiosks, DOOH’s ability to target by audience movement, location, and context has made it a viable performance channel. Integrating DOOH with mobile and retail data now allows brands to connect impressions to outcomes.

Building a Measurement Stack That Delivers True Performance

Once you’ve captured attention, the next challenge is proving its value. Measurement is the currency of modern advertising. For CTV and DOOH, attribution models must evolve beyond basic impressions to measure incremental reach, engagement, and real-world conversions.

1. Unified Data and Identity Frameworks

To truly measure impact across big-screen environments, advertisers need to unify their CTV and DOOH identity graphs. A single source of truth for audience behavior enables cross-channel frequency control and accurate attribution.

Next Millennium Media integrates first-party data with real-time contextual targeting, ensuring campaigns reach verified, relevant audiences while maintaining compliance.

2. Incrementality and Multi-Touch Attribution

Traditional TV relied on gross rating points (GRPs). Modern CTV and DOOH rely on incrementality testing and MTA (multi-touch attribution). This allows marketers to connect the dots between on-screen exposure and in-store or online action.

According to our Cookieless Advertising blog , the evolution of privacy-first data has made incrementality testing the backbone of accurate attribution in the post-cookie era.

3. Real-Time Analytics and Cross-Device Conversions

With integrated data pipelines, advertisers can link CTV viewership and DOOH exposure to mobile engagement, website visits, and even purchase behavior, unlocking end-to-end visibility across the consumer journey.

Optimizing for the Big Screens: From Bidding to Creative Intelligence

Optimization is where the magic happens, where data meets creativity.

Smarter Bidding Strategies

AI-driven dynamic CPM bidding lets advertisers optimize spend based on time-of-day, screen size, audience density, and location performance. For instance, an AI algorithm might allocate higher bids during evening streaming peaks or in high-traffic DOOH zones.

Creative Adaptation and Contextual Targeting

Next-generation creative tools now allow brands to adapt creative content in real time. A CTV ad can dynamically change based on viewing context or previous exposure, as well as offer a QR code for instant purchases, to a DOOH campaign, creating seamless omnichannel storytelling.

Read our AI in Programmatic Advertising blog to understand how AI-driven creative and contextual intelligence are shaping the next era of campaign optimization.

Predictive Analytics for Big-Screen Success

By leveraging predictive algorithms and historical campaign data, advertisers can forecast which placements will yield the highest return on ad spend (ROAS) before a single impression is served. Predictive modeling has become essential in guiding media planners through fragmented CTV and DOOH ecosystems.

Monetizing Big Screens: Turning Attention into Measurable ROI

Big-screen channels don’t just drive awareness; they deliver measurable business outcomes.

Converging Performance and Brand Marketing

CTV and DOOH now sit at the crossroads of brand and performance advertising. By connecting data-driven measurement tools with creative storytelling, brands can move beyond CPMs to measure cost per outcome (CPO) and incremental lift.

Retail Media and Commerce Integration

Retail media’s integration into the big-screen ecosystem is unlocking massive opportunities for advertisers. CTV ads can now drive real-time shoppable experiences, while DOOH displays can connect with mobile to offer instant purchase paths. Our CTV in 2025 blog shows how interactive and shoppable video formats are paving the way for performance-driven storytelling.

The Power of AI-Powered Forecasting

AI isn’t just optimizing spend; it’s also predicting where attention will flow next. With automated inventory forecasting, advertisers can allocate budgets efficiently across high-performing geos and audiences.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Big-Screen Programmatic

As 2026 approaches, CTV and DOOH will continue to merge, forming the next frontier of contextually intelligent, performance-optimized advertising. The winners will be those who:

• Build interoperable data stacks that unify all screens.
• Leverage AI-driven measurement to optimize creative and spend.
• Adopt privacy-safe targeting frameworks that respect user control.

At Next Millennium, we believe in a future where every impression, whether on a living room screen or a city billboard, is measurable, meaningful, and monetizable.

What This Means for CTV & DOOH in 2026

The convergence of CTV and DOOH represents the next leap in programmatic evolution, one where advertisers can connect digital precision with physical presence. With the right measurement stack, AI-driven optimization, and creative intelligence, big-screen advertising isn’t just about reach anymore; it’s about results.

2026 will belong to advertisers who turn the big screen into their smartest performance channel. Picture your next campaign driving real results, with every impression accountable and optimized.