Upfront CTV deals slide as buyers favour quarterly terms
Advertisers are committing less of their connected-TV budget in annual upfronts and more in quarterly deals, according to buyer disclosures published this week.
The numbers
Buyers say about 48% of planned CTV spend for 2027 is committed upfront, compared with 61% a year earlier. Quarterly deals now carry cancellation windows of 30 days or less.
Buyer logic
Planners cite volatile retail demand and the need to move money quickly toward channels that prove incremental sales. Flexibility is now priced in: sellers ask for a 5–8% premium on short-term commitments.
For measurement context, see Marketing mix models get weekly refresh cycles.
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