By Kris Qiu
Originally published in Forbes.

For decades, political advertisers have relied on a familiar playbook: Blanket the airwaves with linear television ads and trust that repetition would drive name recognition, persuasion and turnout. It was simple, predictable and (most importantly) effective in an era when most households consumed media through the same channels at the same time. But, as we know, the media landscape has shifted dramatically. The acceleration of cord-cutting and the fragmentation of audiences have fundamentally changed how viewers watch television. In this new environment, clinging to linear television as the centerpiece of advertising is not just outdated, it’s ignorant.​

Connected TV (CTV) has emerged as the next frontier for political campaigns, and the implications extend far beyond elections. As more households abandon traditional cable and satellite packages in favor of streaming platforms, the reach that advertisers once took for granted on linear TV are eroding. For political campaigns, where every advertising dollar must move voters, this shift has forced a rethink of how television works. For brands, the lesson is clear: the same forces reshaping political advertising are reshaping the entire media ecosystem.​

Political campaigns have always been about managing risk. Every ad dollar is scrutinized because margins are thin and outcomes can hinge on small shifts in behavior. In a fragmented media environment, the margin for error becomes even smaller. A broad television buy may still generate impressions, but it increasingly fails to guarantee that those impressions reach the audiences who matter most.

​This is where CTV changes the equation.

​Unlike traditional linear television, CTV operates within a digital infrastructure that allows advertisers to target audiences with far greater specificity. Ads can be delivered based on household-level data, geographic precision, demographic profiles and behavioral indicators. Political campaigns can reach persuadable voters or infrequent voters without wasting impressions on households outside the target universe.​

This precision matters more than ever. Today’s audiences are not only fragmented in how they consume media, but also in their preferences, purchasing habits and engagement levels. Delivering the same message to everyone is increasingly inefficient. Political campaigns have recognized this and are beginning to treat television as a targeted channel rather than a purely broadcast medium.

​Cord-cutting accelerates the urgency of this shift. Millions of households that once formed the backbone of linear TV reach are no longer reachable through traditional cable buys. Younger viewers, urban professionals and many suburban households now consume the majority of their television through streaming platforms. These audiences are often among the most valuable and influential segments for political campaigns.​

CTV also introduces something linear television has historically struggled with: measurable accountability. Campaigns can track delivery, frequency and performance with far more transparency than traditional broadcast measurement allowed. For brands accustomed to the real-time analytics of digital advertising, CTV bridges the long-standing gap between the scale of television and the measurability of digital.

​Critics sometimes argue that CTV still lacks the scale of traditional television. In certain contexts (particularly live sports and major events), linear TV continues to deliver large audiences. But the trajectory is unmistakable. Every year, more viewers shift their attention to streaming environments, and every year advertisers must adapt to maintain reach and relevance. Not only that, but those live sports and major events are also starting to shift to CTV.

​Political campaigns are often among the fastest adopters of advertising innovation because the stakes are so high and the timelines are so compressed. When campaigns change strategy, it is usually a signal that broader marketing trends are close behind. Here’s how political advertisers can quickly get on board with CTV and what they should be thinking about in a strategy:

• Build CTV into the media plan from the start. Allocate a defined share of the TV budget to streaming early in the campaign to ensure consistent reach among cord-cutters and younger voters.
• Use voter data to drive targeting. Match voter files and geographic data with CTV platforms to prioritize persuadable voters, low-propensity voters and key districts.
• Manage frequency across channels. Coordinate delivery across CTV, digital video and linear TV so voters see the message enough to drive recall without wasting impressions.
• Produce multiple versions of ads. Plan creative variations for persuasion targets, turnout audiences and different demographic groups so targeting is paired with relevant messaging.
• Optimize spending during the flight. Track delivery and performance regularly and shift budget toward the audiences and platforms generating the strongest results.
• Combine CTV precision with linear scale. Use linear television for broad reach around major programming while deploying CTV to fill gaps and target specific voter segments.

​Political advertising has always followed voters wherever they go. As voters move from cable boxes to connected devices, the strategies designed to reach them must evolve as well. Brands should take note: the living room is no longer a broadcast-only environment. It’s a data-driven one.

​In a landscape where every impression counts, precision isn’t just a campaign strategy; it’s the future of television advertising.