Overview of CTV/OTT Advertising with XPO

OTT/CTV are two terms typically mentioned together and often confused. 

Over-the-top (OTT) initially referred to as "streaming devices" (e.g. Chromecast, Amazon Firesticks, Roku boxes, smart TVs, Apple TVs) or gaming consoles (e.g., Xbox, Sony Playstation), collectively known as "OTT devices". These OTT devices are physically connected to the TV and are placed over the top of a consumer's cable box in the living room, allowing consumers to access video content.

As technology has advanced, the term "OTT" has evolved to refer to streaming media services that offer videos and other digital content to devices. These devices include TVs that are capable of connecting to the Internet, thus bypassing the traditional cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms. 

On the other hand, connected TVs (CTVs) refer to TVs that are capable of connecting to the Internet to access content beyond traditional cable or broadband offerings. This includes smart TVs, IPTV, and OTT devices connected to traditional TVs. OTT content can be delivered through CTVs and other popular devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Connecting the Dots: An Example Scenario

Let's say you get broadband internet from a provider like Comcast  . To watch content, you subscribe to an OTT service like Hulu  . This means you bypass your traditional cable or satellite provider (the access layer) and use the Hulu app to stream content directly to your internet-connected device. In this case, the device that you use to access Hulu would be considered a CTV.