The Goldbach Group, Goldbach Austria and Goldvertise Media conducted their eighth DACH-wide study on Advanced TV in January 2025. The results once again confirm the relevance and increasing use of connected TV (CTV). The increasing acceptance and perception of advertising in this medium is particularly noteworthy.

The marketers Goldbach Group, Goldbach Austria and Goldvertise Media conducted their DACH study on the use and distribution of connected TV (CTV) for the eighth time in January 2025. This shows that advertising on connected TV in the DACH region is more widely perceived and accepted compared to the previous year. The results once again underline the importance of connected TV in the media mix.

At 73%, awareness of CTV is at a high level, with the older target group of 50-69-year-olds in particular gaining the most (+3%* compared to the previous year). Usage continues to be highest among households with children (69%), with one-person households gaining the most at +4%* compared to the previous year. Overall, 52% of respondents (16-69-year-olds) watch CTV weekly, while more than a quarter use CTV daily (27%). On average, 2.2 people sit together in front of the TV set.

Further increase in advertising awareness and acceptance

This year also saw a further increase in advertising awareness and acceptance: Awareness around CTV rises to 54% in the DACH region (+3%* compared to the previous year). The highest awareness of advertising is among households with children (59%) and multi-person households (56%). Among the women surveyed, the perception of advertising on CTV has increased significantly compared to the previous year: from 48% in 2024 to 52% this year.

The acceptance of advertising on CTV has also increased: 55% of CTV users (respondents who use the additional functions on a CTV) stated that they find advertising on the additional functions of CTV perfectly acceptable. This corresponds to an increase of 3%* compared to 2024.

36% of respondents remember the content of the CTV ad, 34% find out more and a third (32%) would buy the product. The latter represents an increase of 3%* compared to the previous year. In a country comparison, Austria and Switzerland show an increase in willingness to buy of +4%* to 30%, with Germany in the lead with 34%.
Just as interesting for advertisers: almost half of CTV users (47%) said that "advertising on CTV provides useful information about new products" and a clear 40% still said that advertising on this medium "is helpful for consumers".

Free CTV apps lead, acceptance of ad-financed apps increases

CTV won over respondents with its large selection of content and high degree of flexibility, as well as the option to design the program themselves. One in five men (18%) use sports apps on Connected TV, while linear content is particularly popular with people over 50 (53%). Entertainment dominates the use of CTV apps with 86% and is therefore far ahead of all other categories.

On average, 2.6 paid apps are used, with the young target group (16-29-year-olds) and households with children (2.9 on average) making the highest use. The average number of free apps used is 3.1, with men leading the way with 3.4 apps. A significant majority, 71% of users of paid apps, would be willing to accept advertising in order to receive content for free. This is an increase of 6%* compared to the previous year.

Note*: The change compared to the previous year is given in percentage points.

About the study

Goldbach has been conducting the Advanced TV Study since 2017. This year, 3,500 people (1,500 from Germany, 1,000 each from Austria and Switzerland) aged 16-69 across the DACH region took part in the study. They were surveyed online on the topics of "Awareness, type and use of connected TV", "Ownership of internet-enabled TV sets", "App use on internet-enabled TV sets" and "Perception and assessment of advertising in the area of additional functions on connected TV". The survey took place in January 2025.