Connected TV ads are viewed differently from ads on mobile or desktop. Viewers may be several feet away from the screen, and taking action often requires them to remember a brand, visit a website, search for an app, or use another device. Strong CTV creative should make it easy for viewers to understand who is advertising, what is being promoted, and what they should do next. Branding, readability, audio, and the call to action should work together throughout the video rather than appearing only at the end.

For technical file requirements, see Video Creative Specifications.

For content and policy requirements, see Video Creative Compliance.

Brand recognition is especially important on Connected TV because viewers may not be able to interact with the ad directly.

Whenever possible, keep your logo visible throughout the video instead of introducing it only during the final seconds. The logo should stay in a consistent position, remain within the safe viewing area, and have enough contrast to stay recognizable across different scenes. The name of the product, service, or app should also be easy to identify. For app campaigns, showing the app name and recognizable app icon gives viewers something they can remember and search for later. Your branding should feel like a continuous part of the creative rather than a separate element added only to the end card.

CTV viewers often continue their journey on another device, so the platform associated with your Brand should be easy to recognize.

For website campaigns, consider keeping a short and readable website URL visible throughout the video. A simple domain such as yourbrand.com is easier to read and remember from across the room than a long URL or tracking link.

For app campaigns, the app name should remain clearly identifiable and the app icon can be shown where appropriate. If the call to action is “Download Now” or “Get the App,” viewers should immediately know which app to look for.

The information shown in the creative should correspond with the platform configured for the Brand in AI DASH, whether that platform is a Website, Google Play URL, or App Store URL.

A QR code can make it easier for viewers to move directly from the TV screen to their phone. The QR code can link directly to a landing page or use a tracking URL.

If a QR code is part of the creative, it should be large enough to scan from a normal TV viewing distance and placed away from the edges of the screen. Strong contrast and clear space around the code can also improve scan reliability.

Give viewers enough time to notice the code, unlock their phone, and scan it. Pair the QR code with a short, action-oriented message such as “Scan Now,” “Scan to Shop,” or “Scan to Download.” The viewer should immediately understand what will happen after scanning.

The experience should not depend entirely on the QR code. Keeping the brand name, app name, or website visible gives viewers another way to find you if they choose not to scan. Before uploading the creative, test the QR code on an actual TV or large screen whenever possible.

CTV creative has a limited amount of time to communicate its value, so avoid spending too much of the video on an extended introduction.

Introduce the brand and main message early, then use the rest of the creative to reinforce the most important benefit or reason to take action. Trying to communicate too many products, features, or offers in one video can make the message harder to remember.

A simple progression often works well:

Brand → Main message → Supporting benefit → Call to action

By the time viewers reach the end card, they should already understand what is being advertised and why it matters.

Creative should be designed for the way people actually watch television: on a large screen, often from several feet away. Text should be large, concise, and easy to distinguish from the background. Detailed layouts, small subtitles, long sentences, or interface elements designed for phones may become difficult to read when displayed on a TV.

Keep important elements—including the logo, app name, website URL, QR code, offer, and call to action—comfortably inside the visible area of the screen. Avoid placing critical information too close to the edges.

Mobile or social video can sometimes be adapted for CTV, but it should be reviewed specifically for the TV environment rather than uploaded unchanged. Vertical framing, small captions, and dense mobile layouts usually need additional adjustment.

Sound is an important part of the Connected TV viewing experience and can reinforce information already shown on screen. Voiceover should be clear and easy to understand, while music and sound effects should support rather than compete with the message. Important brand or product information can also be reinforced verbally so viewers can still follow the ad when their attention is not fully on the screen.

Avoid relying exclusively on either audio or visuals for essential information. The strongest CTV creative generally allows the two to reinforce each other.

A strong CTV call to action should be short, direct, and easy to understand at a glance. Tell viewers exactly what you want them to do next rather than leaving the next step implied.

Common CTV calls to action include “Scan Now,” “Download Now,” “Get the App,” “Shop Now,” “Visit yourbrand.com,” and “Start Watching.”

Match the CTA to the platform selected for the Brand in AI DASH. For an app campaign, “Download Now” or “Get the App” can be reinforced with the app name, app icon, or QR code. For a website campaign, use a clear website-focused action and keep the URL easy to read.

Because standard CTV video ads may not support direct on-screen interaction, avoid language such as “Click Here” or “Tap Here.” The CTA should make sense for someone watching from a TV screen. Whenever possible, reinforce the CTA visually and through voiceover, then repeat it clearly on the end card.

The end card should give viewers one clear final action while reinforcing the brand they just saw.

Keep the logo, brand or app name, and primary CTA immediately recognizable. Depending on the campaign, the end card can pair “Scan Now” with a QR code, “Download Now” with the app name, or a website-focused CTA with a readable URL.

Avoid overcrowding the end card with several competing actions. If the video asks viewers to scan a QR code, visit a website, download an app, follow a social account, and remember a promo code at the same time, the next step becomes less clear.

Give the final message enough screen time for viewers to understand and act on it.

The experience presented in the video should match the platform connected to the Brand in AI DASH. If the creative promotes a particular product, app, service, or offer, viewers should be able to recognize the same experience when they continue to the website, Google Play listing, or App Store listing.

Brand identity, product naming, messaging, and calls to action should remain consistent between the creative and the selected platform. This is particularly important for campaigns using QR codes or app-focused messaging, where viewers may move from the TV to another device immediately.

Different creative approaches can perform differently even when they promote the same product.

Consider testing meaningful variations in the opening scene, primary message, benefit, voiceover, call to action, QR code presentation, or end card. Small changes can often provide useful information without requiring an entirely new commercial.

Creative that has been running for an extended period may also benefit from being refreshed. Maintaining the same recognizable brand elements while changing the presentation or messaging can help keep the campaign experience relevant.

Before adding a creative to AI DASH, watch the complete video on a TV or large screen whenever possible. Check that your logo remains clearly visible, the brand or app name is easy to identify, and any website URL can be read from a realistic viewing distance. If the creative contains a QR code, confirm that it can be scanned reliably and remains on screen long enough for viewers to act.

Also review the main message, text size, audio balance, safe positioning, call to action, and end card. The video should make sense as a complete CTV experience rather than simply as a video file viewed on a computer.

Finally, confirm that the creative meets Starti's technical and content requirements.

For instructions on adding creatives to AI DASH, see Upload and Manage Creatives.