From show to scene: Three perspectives on the future of CTV contextual targeting

Contextual targeting in streaming TV is evolving. Advertisers are moving beyond traditional channel and show-level signals to understand the moments surrounding every ad opportunity.

To explore this shift and where the industry is headed, Wurl partnered with Marketecture on a three-part video series, From Show to Scene, featuring leaders from across the streaming and advertising ecosystem. Together, they discuss why scene-level contextual targeting is gaining momentum, what challenges remain, and how advertisers can unlock stronger campaign performance.

Context matters more than ever

As contextual capabilities evolve, advertisers have an opportunity to think differently about how they connect with viewers. Instead of focusing solely on who someone is or what they’re watching, scene-level targeting introduces another layer of context: what’s happening in the exact moment before an ad appears.

Lauri Baker, SVP, Head of Partnerships at KERV.ai, believes that’s where the biggest opportunity lies. “The real performance actually happens […] when we shift from who the viewer is to what’s happening in the moment that your brand shows up.”

She argues that understanding the emotional context surrounding an ad can create a more natural experience for viewers and stronger outcomes for advertisers. “When the messaging matches the scene, not only does it drive better awareness, but it actually proves higher attention, recall, consideration, and intent.”

For Lauri, the evolution isn’t about replacing audience targeting – it’s about complementing it with a deeper understanding of content. “We believe the scene is kind of the new audience.”

Watch the full conversation with Lauri on Marketecture.

Better signals create better outcomes

While contextual signals are becoming more sophisticated, Emily Kennedy, EVP and Head of Marketplace at Dentsu, emphasized that technology alone isn’t enough. Success depends on how advertisers activate those signals and connect them with creative.

As she explained: “Contextual has shifted from just being a planning input to a true optimization signal.”

Emily sees scene-level targeting as an opportunity to create more meaningful interactions between brands and consumers by fitting the message to the moment. “It’s not just about how granular can we target, but how do you then take that opportunity to make sure that the messaging matches that moment? And when we do, the performance is there. It speaks for itself.”

For advertisers, the goal isn’t simply adding another targeting signal. It’s using contextual intelligence to create more relevant consumer experiences and better business outcomes.

Watch the full conversation with Emily on Marketecture.

The next frontier for contextual advertising

For Wurl CEO Dave Bernath, scene-level targeting represents the next evolution of CTV’s digital capabilities – helping advertisers understand not just where an ad runs, but the context surrounding it.

“What’s so exciting about where we’re headed with this next level of contextual capabilities […] is moving beyond those early broad big buckets,” Dave explained.

That deeper understanding opens the door to aligning advertising with factors like emotion, genre, and brand safety, creating more relevant experiences for viewers while improving campaign effectiveness.

But technology is only part of the equation. Dave also stressed that continued collaboration across the ecosystem will be essential for scene-level targeting to reach its full potential. “We need to have more collaboration. We need to have more standardized ways of evaluating what’s happening, sharing information, sharing data.”

Ultimately, he believes the industry will benefit when partners work together to make contextual signals easier to activate and measure.

“[CTV] is still a premium experience, a non-skippable ad on a big piece of glass in the living room. It’s incredible what a TV advertising unit is.”

Watch the full conversation with Dave on Marketecture.

Catch the complete interview series

The conversations with Lauri, Emily, and Dave all point to a similar conclusion: contextual targeting is becoming more intelligent, more actionable, and more closely aligned with how viewers actually experience streaming content.

As advertisers look for new ways to improve relevance and performance, scene-level contextual intelligence offers an opportunity to move beyond static content labels and better understand the moments that matter most.

Watch all three episodes of From Show to Scene on Marketecture to hear how leaders from across the industry see the future of contextual advertising in streaming TV.