Consumers are quite open to ad-supported streaming services -- even if modest fees are involved -- but they're frustrated by the current state of the advertising experience.

The number using any streaming service is 79%, versus 60% using a traditional pay-TV service. The percentages using three or more top SVODs leapt over the past year, as did the percentage using at least one free streamer.

Five agency power players say that the wealth of streaming/CTV options beyond broadcasters' own digital extensions means that nothing -- including the success of linear/digital packaging pushes -- can be taken for granted in this year's negotiations.

With the last two major SVOD launches in the game as of Q4 2020, the U.S. market-share impacts of growing competition on Netflix and #2 Hulu are clear. But Netflix still has a not-so-secret weapon: extraordinary customer loyalty.

Media buyers surveyed by IAB at the end of Q1 now say digital video, including CTV/OTT, will take a 20% share of total media budget this year -- up from 13% in IAB's November 2020 survey. Linear TV's average share of total is now 18%, versus 15% in November.

New technology, in pilot, allows sellers to offer more linear addressable video ad inventory, coupled with inventory on digital video platforms -- which should enable advertisers to extend targeted audience reach while managing frequency.

Legacy TV players with new streamers have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to pressing for CPMs akin to those for prime-time TV, says this agency executive.

Google Ad Manager reports that ATV advertising dipped in Q2 but recovered over the course of 2020. Traditional buys still heavily dominated, but programmatic grew rapidly. Live impressions grew faster than VOD, despite sports shutdowns.

"It's time to rip off the Band-aid. Advertisers and media need to move faster to think holistically and look to change the rules on both sides of the equation," argues this global agency's chief commercial officer.

Performance marketers, in particular, are likely to shift ad dollars to CTV as ROI on Facebook and other non-Google digital campaigns declines, argues one CTV ad tech executive.