Mumbai: IAB Tech Lab, the global digital advertising technical standard-setting body, has announced the release of its new CTV Ad Portfolio, alongside a significant update to the Guide to Programmatic CTV, aimed at bringing greater clarity, consistency, and efficiency to the rapidly expanding connected TV (CTV) ecosystem.
The newly launched CTV Ad Portfolio defines six core CTV ad formats — Pause, Menu, Screensaver, In Scene, Squeeze backs, and Overlays — drawing from more than 100 real-world submissions received through the industry-led Ad Format Hero initiative. Complementing this, the updated Programmatic CTV guidance outlines how these formats can be more efficiently transacted, including enhanced OpenRTB support for the two formats prioritised by the industry working group: Pause and Menu. Both documents are now open for public comment until January 31, 2026.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen the CTV marketplace explode, and the industry has been asking for clear, practical guidance to keep up,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. “What we heard again and again was that publishers, buyers, and platforms needed a common language for emerging CTV formats, and a way to streamline how these formats are traded. This portfolio and guidance update are really about meeting that need and helping accelerate growth in the space.”
With streaming and CTV now accounting for the majority of TV viewing in key markets, standardising emerging CTV ad formats has become critical to sustaining revenue growth across the ecosystem. Formats such as Pause and Menu offer incremental, high-value monetisation opportunities that complement traditional ad pods. By unifying definitions and technical attributes, the initiative aims to reduce creative rendering issues, minimise duplicative production efforts, and ease operational complexity caused by fragmented implementations across platforms.
The updates extend to CTV the same level of industry alignment that the original Digital Ad Portfolio brought to display advertising within OpenRTB, helping create a more interoperable and scalable environment for buyers and sellers alike.
Industry leaders have welcomed the move, highlighting its potential to simplify execution and unlock innovation.
“Clear standards like this make it so much easier for everyone to scale new CTV formats,” said Ken Weiner, CTO, GumGum. “It’s a simple change that will make a big difference in day-to-day execution.”
“Interoperability is essential to unlocking the full potential of CTV,” said Gianluca Milano, Ad Experience Product at Disney. “These new standards will benefit the entire ecosystem by establishing a consistent framework for advanced ad formats to scale across platforms and buying channels, empowering advertisers with captivating and engaging experiences.”
“At NBCUniversal, we are committed to delivering premium content and cutting-edge technology that connects brands with highly engaged audiences in the most efficient, effective way,” said Ryan McConville, EVP, Chief Product Officer, Advertising Products & Solutions, NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships. “Creating a consistent standard across CTV environments help advance that mission, making it easier for advertisers of all sizes to access premium video and drive real business impact.”
Together, the new CTV Ad Portfolio and updated Programmatic CTV guidance are expected to serve as a foundational framework for clearer communication, smoother transactions, and improved user experiences across publishers, platforms, and devices. Public comments will be accepted until January 31, 2026.
