CTV ad exposure lifts long-term sales by 3.16%: Report

A single exposure to a Connected Television (CTV) ad typically lifts long-term sales by 3.16% over three years, closely matching the uplift from broadcast television (3.61%). Dentsu's 16th annual 2026 Media Trends report, titled ‘Human Truths in the Algorithmic Era,’ details how three human behaviours - simplicity, sociability, and attention - guide brand growth and media investment in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms.

The report suggests that brands must anchor their strategic thinking in core, invariable human behaviours to rigorously evaluate where to invest in the algorithmic era.

The first, ‘We are simple until we are complex’, highlights that while consumers value convenience, they do so only to an extent, and the most efficient experience is not always the most enjoyable. Brands must strategically balance efficiency with emotion, designing experiences that both simplify and surprise.

This translates to three strategic areas: Search Experience Optimisation (SXO), which expands beyond traditional SEO and paid search to enhance discoverability across conversational and multimodal environments, the strategic deployment of agentic AI, focusing on building modular, context-aware systems that drive strategic value rather than merely increasing the number of agents, and navigating the friction paradox, where marketers must intentionally use friction to foster desire or a sense of community, while eliminating barriers to purchase in other areas.

The second is ‘We are social animals’, which underscores the desire for connection, even in digital environments. The report explores how communities and creators now define culture and drive engagement. ‘Communities shape the narrative’, posits that brands must find their place within the right communities, often by letting creators take the lead in delivering value. Investing in a diverse group of smaller creators with authentic ties is encouraged, as twice as many people engage most often with influencers under 1M followers than with mega-influencers (1M-10M followers).

In ‘shared memories hit different’, the magic of live experiences remains unmatched in forging lasting shared memories, with streaming platforms acquiring rights to major sports and developing original live programming.

Furthermore, a wave of millennial nostalgia, including reboots and product relaunches, is sparking renewed interest across generations. Finally, in ‘business messaging takes off’, a new monetisation wave is positioning messaging applications as a channel of choice for growth, with the three largest messaging apps having all surpassed one billion monthly average users.

The final, ‘We don't read advertising’, focuses on attention, the scarcest resource in the algorithmic era, arguing that brands must play the quality game, not the saturation game. AI-generated audiences unlock consumer insight by simulating real-world audience attitudes and behaviours to provide sharper insights and greater relevance. This approach helps strike the optimal balance between reach and relevance. Attention gets a longer-term look, highlights that NextGen video platforms build brand equity and boost long-term sales, with CTV delivering outcomes comparable to broadcast TV. Notably, a single short-form video exposure in fast-scroll environments can lift brand sales by 6.62% over three years with the right level of attention.

The final trend, entertainment opens new brand avenues, urges brands to embed themselves within fast-growing entertainment territories, such as sports docuseries, which are watched by 40% of consumers globally in the last month, microdramas, and anime, which is watched at least weekly by 50% of Gen Z.

Commenting on the report, Will Swayne, Global Practice President, Media and Integrated Solutions, Dentsu, said, “In an age where every click and scroll is influenced by algorithms, the most powerful insights remain human. Brands must focus on what remains stable over time by rooting their strategic thinking in core, invariable human behaviors to rigorously evaluate where to invest in the Algorithmic Era.” 

Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative & Media Brands, South Asia, dentsu added, “In a world ruled by algorithms, human truths remain our compass. Technology opens doors, but empathy, creativity, and understanding people will determine who truly wins. Simplicity, sociability, and attention are not just insights; they are the foundation for brands that want to grow, lead, and stay relevant in 2026. This report gives brands practical frameworks to anchor strategy in these truths, seek fresh growth opportunities, and turn creativity into measurable impact.”