First-of-Its-Kind Analysis: “The State of Representation in CTV Advertising”

When Alltold, a new tech company that uses AI to understand bias, stereotypes, and inclusion in creative content, wanted to analyze representation in advertising on CTV, it turned to Innovid. 

Obviously. 

With our unmatched view of the streaming universe through our buy-side ad server, Innovid was the ideal partner to collaborate with Alltold on the first-of-its-kind report we produced together: The State of Representation in CTV Advertising 1H24. 

Analyzing 6 Identity Dimensions

The report analyzes how six identity dimensions — age, gender expression, skin tone, body size, observed sexual orientation, and visible disability — are represented in the top 1,000 ads delivered by Innovid’s ad server in the first six months of 2024. In the aggregate, these ads amassed tens of billions of impressions. 

“Inclusive advertising not only helps to build a more inclusive world, but it also drives business results,” said Morgan Gregory, CEO & Co-Founder, Alltold. “We are dedicated to working with brands and agencies to responsibly quantify and measure inclusive content. The time is now for every brand to establish a representation baseline, set data-driven objectives, and track and report on progress as they realize the ROI of representation.” 

Industry studies have found that inclusive advertising provides benefits for brands who engage in representative marketing, which delivers:  

• 3.8x Enhanced brand perception
• 2.8x Lift in purchase intent
• 2.7x Increase in ad effectiveness

“Advertising is ever-present — it’s woven into people’s daily lives. It has the power to make people feel seen, heard, and represented, but it can also do the opposite. While our industry has made progress, there is so much opportunity to do better,” said Dan Mouradian, SVP of Global Client Solutions, Innovid. “We are proud to collaborate with Alltold to bring this issue to the forefront with a responsible, data-backed look at inclusivity in CTV advertising – not just around tentpole and cultural events, but 24/7/365.” 

Key Findings from the Report

Here’s a cross-section of findings from The State of Representation in CTV Advertising:  

• A roughly 50/50 split between masculine and feminine gender expression.
• There is more feminine gender expression for those under the age of 30, while older than 30 is more masculine.
• The lightest four skin tones account for more than 70% of screen time.
• Small- and medium-sized bodies were represented approximately 93% of the time. 
• Fewer than 1% of people shown on screen had a visible disability. 
  

For a deeper dive into this data surrounding inclusivity in CTV advertising, download the report.

‍