Full-Funnel CTV: Navigating Fragmented Attention in Aotearoa

Monday, 30 March 20267 min read1 views

Consumer attention is increasingly fragmented across numerous digital platforms, challenging traditional media planning. Connected TV (CTV) is emerging as a critical channel for marketers to engage audiences across the entire purchase funnel, demanding sophisticated, data-driven strategies. This shift necessitates a re-evaluation of how brands connect with New Zealanders in a multi-device world.

What Happened

•Consumer attention has significantly fragmented, with three primary media devices now capturing only 65% of engagement, down from 87% in 2011, according to McKinsey.
•The proliferation of streaming services, social media, podcasts, and gaming platforms intensifies competition for audience eyeballs.
•Traditional media planning methods are becoming less effective due to this accelerated media landscape fragmentation.
•Connected TV (CTV) is positioned as a key medium capable of delivering full-funnel marketing objectives.
•The article highlights the need for CTV strategies to evolve beyond upper-funnel brand awareness to encompass performance marketing goals.
•Source: AdExchanger, 30 March 2026.

Why It Matters for NZ Marketers

•New Zealanders are avid adopters of streaming services, making CTV a rapidly growing and essential channel for local audience reach.
•NZ marketers must adapt to fragmented attention spans, moving beyond traditional broadcast-centric thinking to capture diverse digital engagement.
•The ability to measure and attribute CTV's impact across the sales funnel is crucial for justifying investment in the local market.
•Smaller NZ brands can leverage CTV's targeting capabilities to compete more effectively against larger players.
•Increased CTV usage in NZ means marketers need to integrate it seamlessly into broader omnichannel strategies, not treat it as an isolated channel.

Strategic Implications

•Develop integrated, full-funnel CTV strategies that span brand awareness, consideration, and conversion.
•Invest in robust measurement and attribution models to quantify CTV's impact on business outcomes.
•Leverage first-party data and advanced targeting to reach specific NZ audience segments on CTV platforms.
•Prioritise creative strategies specifically designed for the CTV environment, moving beyond repurposed linear TV ads.
•Educate internal teams and stakeholders on CTV's capabilities as a performance channel, not just a branding tool.

Future Trend Signals

•The continued shift of advertising budgets from linear TV to CTV, driven by enhanced targeting and measurement.
•Increased demand for sophisticated programmatic solutions that optimise CTV campaigns across the entire funnel.
•Greater integration of CTV data with other digital channels for a unified customer view.
•The emergence of new interactive ad formats and shoppable experiences within CTV environments.

Sources

The Full-Funnel Era Is Here. Is Your CTV Strategy Built To Keep Up? — AdExchanger

Share this analysis

Help NZ marketers stay informed

Editorial note: This analysis is original, AI-assisted editorial content. All source material is attributed with links. No full articles are reproduced. Short excerpts are used under fair dealing principles.