B2B Marketers Pivot Connected TV Tactics Toward Lead Generation and Retention
As B2B marketers face mounting pressure to demonstrate pipeline velocity, Connected TV is evolving from a brand awareness tool into a strategic performance channel. Reporting from MarTech highlights how organizations are leveraging account data and competitor renewal cycles to target specific decision-makers directly in their homes, bypassing traditional digital saturation.
Context from Industry Pulse
The strategic shift in B2B CTV usage comes as event teams face significant budget scrutiny. Industry research cited by MarTech reveals that 70% of organizations are reducing their event participation to focus on attendee experience and net-new lead generation. Despite these cuts, exhibitions remain a major budget line, prompting a need for digital amplification. Concurrently, the software sector is grappling with high levels of buyer remorse and implementation friction. By combining these market pressures with sophisticated targeting—such as using competitor tags and CRM records—marketers are transforming television from a top-of-funnel luxury into a calculated tool for poaching accounts and maximizing the ROI of physical trade shows.
"Forrester’s 2026 buying research indicates that 13 internal stakeholders are typically involved in a buying decision, so you need an effective way to connect with the rest."
Connected TV is moving beyond its reputation as a broad-reach medium to become a precision tool for B2B pipeline development. According to MarTech, marketers are increasingly aligning their streaming ad spend with high-value trade shows. By targeting specific industries and job titles in the weeks leading up to an event, companies can establish brand familiarity before prospects even reach the exhibition floor. This strategy extends post-event, where booth scans are converted into account lists to reach the multiple stakeholders typically involved in a buying committee who may not have attended the show in person.
Another emerging tactic involves utilizing CRM data and site lookup tools to identify competitors customers. MarTech reports that two-thirds of software buyers experience implementation problems or remorse, making them prime targets for displacement. By timing campaigns to launch six months before a competitor’s contract renewal date, brands can present problem-solving creative that addresses specific pain points without explicitly naming rivals. This approach allows marketers to reach decision-makers during the critical internal window when alternatives are being evaluated.
The effectiveness of these campaigns is often measured through incrementality tests. MarTech suggests holding back a portion of a target list to compare website visits and new opportunities between the exposed and unexposed groups. This methodology provides the data needed for pipeline reviews where awareness metrics alone are insufficient.
Finally, the shift toward indirect revenue streams is driving new collaborations in the CTV space. As MarTech notes that many companies attribute more than 40% of their revenue to partners, marketers are beginning to utilize co-op funds to run streaming campaigns alongside resellers and distributors. This allows vendors to access account segments they might not be able to reach under their own brand name alone, further integrating CTV into the broader B2B sales ecosystem.
The Industry Pulse Bottom Line
B2B marketers must move CTV out of the awareness silo by integrating CRM data and renewal timelines. Success now depends on reaching the full buying committee during critical decision windows rather than prioritizing broad reach.