Marketers already get digital—social media, influencers, content marketing, you name it.
What’s dated is still talking about broadcast TV spots as if they mattered. These days, those ads aren’t failing because they’re outdated—they’re failing because viewers aren’t watching. Everyone has migrated to streaming.
The Great Migration (2025 Reality)
- Streaming now dominates TV consumption. In May 2025, streaming accounted for 44.8% of total U.S. TV viewing, crossing ahead of combined broadcast plus cable for the first time ever. Nielsen
- On the Roku platform alone, streaming surpassed broadcast TV in viewing share (21.4% vs. 18.4%) for three straight months.
- 83% of U.S. adults now use streaming services, compared to just 36% who pay for cable or satellite.
Bottom line: If your marketing plan ignores streaming, you’re showing up where no one’s watching.
What Is Streaming TV—Again?
Streaming TV means delivering video via the internet (over-the-top or OTT). In 2024 it officially became the dominant form of TV viewing, surpassing cable and broadcast.
It includes:
- SVOD: Subscription-based services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, etc.
- AVOD/Free Ad-Supported Streaming: Platforms like Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi, and Hulu’s ad-supported version.
- CTV (Connected TV): Devices like Roku, Fire TV, smart TVs—gateways for streaming, not cable.
By Q1 2025, ad-supported streaming accounted for 57% of new subscriber additions, and in Q2, 73.6% of viewing time across TV was ad-supported streaming. MNTN
Why It Matters for Marketers
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Targeting that Actually Works
Streaming platforms offer ad targeting by demographics, interests, and behavior—far more precise than cable’s spray-and-pray model. - Huge Reach, Lower Cost
Half of the streaming audience uses ad-supported platforms—massive reach without needing huge budgets. - Streaming Ad Spend Is Surging
The U.S. political ad market is expecting a record $10.84 billion in streaming ad spend during the 2026 midterms.
And OTT ad spend is projected at over $2.37 billion in 2025. - Legacy Players Are Adapting
ESPN just launched a direct-to-consumer streaming service—$30/month, live sports, social highlights, fantasy integration—the full digital makeover.
Meanwhile, broadcasters are investing in connected TV viewership, ad-tech like dynamic ad insertion, and AI to stay relevant.
Your Call to Action—Wicked Bionic’s Edge
You still want impact? Talk to us. At Wicked Bionic, we’re not just marketing consultants—we’re ex-broadcast and entertainment pros who get streaming. We help brands navigate AVOD, CTV, and SVOD ad platforms, targeting audiences where they actually are.
Let’s ditch the dusty thinking about TV ads and get digital with reach, precision, and ROI that traditional networks simply can’t match.
