Data and Context Drive Performance in Connected TV: OMD’s Tej Desai

Why It Matters

By integrating holistic data and shoppable ad technology, CTV offers brands a measurable, revenue‑driving alternative to fragmented mobile and social campaigns, reshaping media spend allocation.

Key Takeaways

• CTV shifts focus from single metrics to holistic outcomes.
• Clean rooms and partners aggregate cross‑channel data for better measurement.
• Brands with first‑party data gain stronger CTV performance insights.
• Shoppable ad units reduce friction, boosting conversion on streaming.
• Programmatic services help smaller advertisers access CTV opportunities.

Summary

The video features OMD’s Tej Desai explaining how data and contextual signals are reshaping performance measurement on Connected TV (CTV). He argues that advertisers are moving beyond isolated metrics such as video completion rates toward holistic outcomes like sales, app downloads, and consumer reviews, and that CTV’s data‑rich environment makes this possible.

Desai highlights the role of clean‑room technologies and partners such as LiveRamp in aggregating cross‑channel data, enabling brands to compare CTV performance against mobile and social spend. He notes a split between brands that own rich first‑party data—retail, travel, B2B—and those, like CPG manufacturers, that rely on retailer insights, emphasizing that CTV can bridge those gaps through managed‑service and programmatic solutions.

Key examples include the adoption of shoppable creative units that embed QR codes or text‑to‑purchase links, dramatically reducing friction for viewers and driving faster basket conversion. Desai repeatedly stresses that “data is the table stakes” and that contextual signals allow real‑time budget optimization across products and campaigns.

The implications are clear: advertisers should consider reallocating budget from traditional mobile/social channels to CTV, invest in data‑clean‑room infrastructure, and leverage shoppable ad formats to capture incremental sales. Smaller advertisers can now enter the CTV space via programmatic managed services, expanding the channel’s reach and performance potential.

Original Description

As brands navigate a fragmented media landscape, connecting performance metrics across platforms remains one of advertising’s toughest challenges. For Tej Desai, executive vice president of client leadership at OMD USA, connected TV (CTV) offers a path forward, provided it’s paired with the right data and contextual insights.

Social remains powerful but siloed

Desai said social media continues to be a strong performer for both brand-building and lower-funnel conversions, but it still suffers from isolation.

“You get great metrics within social,” he said in this interview with Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan, “but it’s difficult to connect those insights across other channels.”

To solve that, agencies like OMD are looking for more holistic measurement frameworks that can unify walled-garden data with broader campaign performance. Desai pointed to data clean rooms and partnerships with companies such as LiveRamp as valuable tools for integrating fragmented datasets and producing actionable insights.

“That’s what lets you optimize across channels instead of treating each one in a silo,” he said.

CTV levels the playing field for brands of all sizes

Desai said connected TV has become a critical medium for both direct-to-consumer (DTC) and traditional brands because of its ability to merge performance metrics with brand storytelling. The key differentiator, he noted, is access to first-party data.

“Retailers, travel brands and B2B companies often sit on a goldmine of customer information,” he said. “CPG brands, on the other hand, have to rely on retailers to understand what’s happening with their products and audiences.”

He added that CTV platforms are increasingly working with smaller advertisers through managed services and programmatic solutions, allowing them to compete in an arena once dominated by larger brands.

Contextual data enhances campaign optimization

For OMD, performance improvement doesn’t stop at audience data. Desai emphasized the growing importance of contextual signals, such as weather, that influence consumer behavior in real time.

“We use weather patterns to understand seasonality, in-store traffic, and shopper experiences,” he said. “In a large market like the U.S., where conditions vary so much, those insights let us optimize campaigns dynamically: shifting budgets, products or creative messaging as needed.”

The blend of audience and contextual data, he said, provides a more complete view of consumer intent and helps brands make smarter, faster adjustments to their media plans.

Shoppable creative is transforming streaming

When asked which innovation has most improved performance in CTV, Desai pointed to shoppable ad formats as a major leap forward.

“The more we remove friction from the consumer journey, the better,” he said.

Interactive formats like QR codes and text-to-purchase prompts make it easier for viewers to move from discovery to checkout without leaving their streaming experience.

“Anything that gets a consumer from engagement to cart faster helps both sales and the user experience,” he said.

As shoppable CTV and real-time optimization continue to evolve, Desai said the intersection of creativity, data and technology will define the next phase of performance-driven media.