- 21st October 2024 |
- 5 minutes
Home >> Insights >> Content Hub >> Are CMOs Stuck in the Past? Why Clinging to Linear TV Is Ignoring Gen Z and Millennials
Ignoring Gen Zs and Millennials? Good Luck Staying Relevant
Sticking with Linear TV? You’re Betting Against the Future (Spoiler: You’ll Lose).
Today's troubling murmur with marketing managers
There’s been a troubling murmur in marketing circles across North America lately. Some executives are reportedly pulling back from Connected TV (CTV) and reverting to linear TV, citing the complexity of buying, planning, and measuring CTV inventory. At first glance, it might seem like a practical solution—falling back on tried-and-tested methods to avoid navigating newer, more complicated systems. But let’s not mince words: this is a move in the wrong direction. The decision to retreat into the familiar comfort of linear TV is not about pragmatism; it’s about a refusal to evolve. And that’s a dangerous mindset.
Nostalgia, Inertia, and Fear
Is it 2024 or 1994? Are we really entertaining the idea that moving backwards is preferable to adapting to the future? Here’s what’s really going on: a mix of nostalgia, inertia, and—dare I say it—fear. It’s not just about avoiding complexity; it’s about avoiding change. Some of these decision-makers are operating from a worldview stuck in the past, unwilling to adapt to new channels, technologies, and consumer behaviors. They’re clinging to the belief that “I’m the CMO or VP of a major global brand, and I’ve been doing things this way for decades. Why should I change just because Millennials and Gen Z think differently?”.
"Entitled" Millennials & Gen Zs Are Your Future
Guess what? Those Millennials and Gen Zs are your consumers.
In just a few years, they’ll make up the majority of the U.S. workforce and have the most purchasing power, by 2025, to be more precise, they’ll dominate the market. So good luck maintaining relevance if you’re still stuck in the linear TV world while your target audience has moved on to digital, social, and CTV platforms. It’s not just about reaching these consumers; it’s about speaking their language, understanding their habits, and meeting them where they are. And right now, where they are isn’t on linear TV.
Facts: YouTube & CTV Are Dominating Media Consumption
Let’s start with the facts. YouTube, not linear TV, is now the dominant force in both time spent and ad revenue. According to eMarketer, YouTube accounts for nearly a quarter of media time, and its YouTube TV service is on track to become the largest pay-TV operator by 2026. So why are some executives still clinging to linear? Because it’s easier?
The Comfort of Familiarity: Linear TV Feels Safer, But Is It?
Here’s the reality: linear TV, with its familiar reach and frequency metrics, feels stable and predictable. It’s a medium many have mastered over decades—easy to measure, consistent, and reliable. But in a world where media consumption is splintering across devices and platforms, that stability looks less like a strength and more like a trap. Prioritizing ease over effectiveness doesn’t make you efficient; it makes you complacent.
The Fall of Linear TV and its Decline in Ad Spend
Linear TV’s share of U.S. ad spend is projected to collapse from nearly 29% in 2019 to just over 11% by 2026, according to the above-mentioned eMarketer article. That’s not a dip—it’s a free fall. Viewers are migrating to CTV platforms faster than ad dollars can follow them. The gap exists not because CTV isn’t effective, but because it demands a level of sophistication in measurement that many marketers are unwilling or unable to embrace.
CTV’s Strength: Targeted, Engaging, and Preferred by Consumers
Indeed, the challenge with CTV isn’t that it doesn’t work—on the contrary, CTV is thriving—it’s that it demands more nuanced media literacy. CTV’s ad loads are lighter, with fewer ads per hour compared to linear TV. But this doesn’t mean fewer opportunities. It means more targeted, less intrusive advertising—something consumers overwhelmingly prefer. Those clinging to the old, ad-heavy linear model are missing the point: attention and effectiveness, not just exposure, are the real currencies.
The Reality of Today’s Linear TV Viewer: Split Attention
Consider today’s linear TV viewer. Yes, they might still be “watching,” but they’re also scrolling through their phones, checking social media, or texting. The days of undivided attention on the family TV are over. Linear TV might still account for a quarter of media time, but often as background noise diluted by a second screen. And marketers who fail to see this are misreading their audience entirely.
The Future Is Digital Video
Then there’s the generational shift. Millennials and Gen Z are now the dominant consumer groups. These are digital-first generations, born and raised on smartphones, streaming services, and social media. Their habits have been shaped by platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other digital video and CTV streaming apps. If your media strategy isn’t on these platforms, then you’re not where your future customers are.
CTV Isn’t Complex—It’s the Future
The real issue here isn’t CTV’s complexity. It’s the reluctance to embrace change. Yes, CTV requires more sophisticated measurement techniques, but solutions like single-source, panel-based measurement for incremental reach and brand lift already exist, and they work. The brands that will succeed in the next decade are those that figure out how to navigate these complexities, rather than retreat into outdated methods.
Stop Resisting the Inevitable
So what should marketers do? The answer is clear: stop resisting the inevitable. CTV and digital video-first strategies are not passing trends—they are the future of media consumption. The rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, and their shift toward ad-supported models, is proof that the landscape is changing, whether marketers want to acknowledge it or not. Bundling strategies and lower ad loads are shaping a new kind of viewer experience—one that’s less intrusive but more engaging. If you’re not investing in understanding this shift, you’re choosing to sit on the sidelines as the game evolves.
There’s No Going Back
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about where to place your ad dollars; it’s about the future relevance of your brand. Will you cling to linear TV, betting on a shrinking pool of distracted viewers, or will you invest in the platforms that are rapidly becoming the primary media consumption channels? The real question isn’t whether to invest in CTV—it’s how quickly you can adapt before you’re left behind. There’s no going back—only forward. The only question is, are you ready?
By Ian Alastair Hobkirk
Digital Marketing Manager
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