S15 E11: How TV is Working for DTC Brands (with Jeff Katz, Head of Emerging Sales at Roku)
Limited Supply
· with Jeff Katz
· March 18, 2026
· 45 min
Summary
For DTC brands seeking growth beyond Meta and Google, Connected TV (CTV) advertising, particularly via platforms like Roku, offers a powerful, measurable, and increasingly flexible channel. This episode reveals how CTV has evolved into a performance marketing powerhouse, enabling targeted campaigns and attributing sales more effectively than traditional TV.
Key takeaways
Connected TV (CTV) is no longer just for brand awareness; it's a performance marketing channel with increasingly sophisticated measurement capabilities.
DTC brands should consider CTV as a scalable growth lever once they've optimized Meta and Google, not just as a top-of-funnel play.
The shift to self-serve platforms and advanced DSPs on CTV enables more agile campaign management and data-driven optimization, similar to digital channels.
Products with broad appeal and strong visual storytelling capabilities are particularly well-suited to win on CTV.
Roku's platform provides unique capabilities for advertisers to engage consumers beyond simple ad serving, fostering deeper connections.
Themes
connected tv advertisingdtc growth strategiesmedia mix optimizationperformance marketing
Most marketers think of Roku as just another ad platform, but the real opportunity is understanding how streaming is changing the entire media mix.
In this episode, Nik sits down with Jeff Katz from Roku to break down what’s actually happening inside one of the biggest platforms in media, how connected TV has evolved, and why more performance brands should be paying attention.
Jeff gets into how TV buying has changed from big creative bets and slow measurement cycles to a more flexible, measurable, self-serve world.
Nik and Jeff unpack what DSPs actually do, how streaming fits alongside search and social, and what kinds of products tend to win on the biggest screen in the house.
If you’ve ever wondered when TV should enter the mix, how Roku actually works, or what the next layer of growth looks like after Meta and Google, this episode is for you.
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Roku pioneered streaming on TV. We connect users to the content they love, enable content publishers to build and monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique capabilities to engage consumers. Learn more at advertising.roku.com/limitedsupply.
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What does this episode say about connected tv advertising?
Connected TV (CTV) is no longer just for brand awareness; it's a performance marketing channel with increasingly sophisticated measurement capabilities.
What does this episode say about dtc growth strategies?
DTC brands should consider CTV as a scalable growth lever once they've optimized Meta and Google, not just as a top-of-funnel play.
What does this episode say about media mix optimization?
The shift to self-serve platforms and advanced DSPs on CTV enables more agile campaign management and data-driven optimization, similar to digital channels.
What does this episode say about performance marketing?
Products with broad appeal and strong visual storytelling capabilities are particularly well-suited to win on CTV.
What does this episode say about connected tv advertising?
Roku's platform provides unique capabilities for advertisers to engage consumers beyond simple ad serving, fostering deeper connections.
