New Study by Teads and MMA Reveals Video as the Most Essential Marketing Tactic | MMA Global

New Study by Teads and MMA Reveals Video as the Most Essential Marketing Tactic

September 16, 2025

NEW YORK, NY – September 16, 2025 – Teads, the omnichannel outcomes platform for the Open Internet, and MMA Global, the marketing trade association dedicated to architecting the future of marketing, today announced the findings of their "2025 State of Video and CTV Report." The new report examines the evolving role of video, its challenges, and its place in an omnichannel marketing strategy.

Based on insights from over 100 senior marketers at leading brands and agencies, the study finds that video is now at the heart of the marketing mix. An overwhelming majority of marketers plan to increase their investment in the year ahead, seeing it as the most essential tactic for reaching audiences and driving business outcomes across the entire funnel. While budgets for both brand storytelling and performance are on the rise, marketers face significant challenges in proving video's value across a fragmented landscape. The findings also highlight how marketers are adapting, with a clear embrace of Connected TV (CTV) for its targeting capabilities and a rapid adoption of generative AI to streamline creative processes and gain greater control.

"This report confirms that video has moved from a supporting channel to the core of marketing strategy," said Neala Brown, SVP, Commercial Strategy & Advanced Advertising Solutions at Teads. "Marketers are not just increasing their budgets; they are also expanding the use of video across new formats and screens, with CTV emerging as a primary focus for its ability to deliver on reach, targeting, and brand safety."

"The findings highlight a clear shift toward video as an indispensable tactic for driving both brand storytelling and performance outcomes," said Vassilis Bakopoulos, SVP, Head of Industry Research at MMA. "Marketers are looking for accountability and quality at scale, and this study provides a clear picture of how they're navigating a complex landscape of new platforms, data, and measurement challenges."

Key Findings: The 2025 State of Video and CTV Study

  • Video is now an essential tactic. Nearly half of all marketers (48%) call video their single most essential tactic, with an additional 50% placing it alongside other top strategies. This trend is particularly strong in the manufacturing (64%), financial services (59%), and retail (58%) sectors.
  • Budgets are rising. More than 90% of marketers plan to maintain or increase their video spending over the next year, with 62% expecting a slight increase and 30% anticipating a significant one.
  • Balance between brand and performance is elusive. While 70% of marketers use video for brand storytelling and 68% for performance, only 27% feel they have effectively balanced the two.
  • CTV is a rising priority. Marketers see Connected TV (CTV) as a top environment for reach, audience targeting, and brand safety, overtaking linear television.
  • Challenges persist in measurement. Half of all marketers (50%) report difficulty measuring effectiveness across different screens, and 48% struggle to directly link ad exposure to business outcomes.
  • AI is rapidly being adopted. A majority of marketers (70%) are already using generative AI for content creation, while 45% use it for creative performance analysis and 42% for audience insights.

To learn more about the study's findings and what they mean for brands and agencies, join Teads and MMA Global for a live webinar on Wednesday, September 17 at 12:00pm EDT. The webinar will feature Vassilis Bakopoulos (SVP, Head of Industry Research, MMA Global), Neala Brown (SVP Strategy & Insights, Teads), and special guests who will provide a deeper dive into the report and share strategic insights for the year ahead.

Register here: Webinar: Video & CTV in 2025: Unlocking an Emerging Strategic Powerhouse

About Teads

Teads Holding Co. (“Teads”) (Nasdaq: TEAD) is the omnichannel outcomes platform for the Open Internet, driving full-funnel results for marketers across premium media. With a focus on meaningful business outcomes for branding and performance objectives, Teads drives value with every media dollar by leveraging predictive AI technology to connect quality media, beautiful brand creative, and context-driven addressability and measurement. One of the most scaled advertising platforms on the open internet, Teads is directly partnered with more than 10,000 publishers and 20,000 advertisers globally. The company is headquartered in New York, New York with a global team of nearly 1,800 people in 30+ countries.

For more information, visit www.teads.com.

About MMA

Comprised of over 800-member companies, MMA Global is the only marketing trade association that brings together the full ecosystem of marketers, martech ad tech, media and other marketer supporting companies that work collaboratively to architect the future of marketing, while relentlessly delivering growth today. Led by CMOs, the MMA helps marketers lead the imperative for marketing change by taking on marketing’s unanswered questions and challenging our commonly held beliefs. The MMA is committed to science and questioning; believing that creating new and even revolutionary marketing impact is steeped in constructively challenging the status quo. MMA works directly with members and business leaders to aggressively adopt proven, peer-driven and science-supported best practices, without compromise. The MMA invests millions in groundbreaking research to enable marketers with unassailable truth and actionable insights and tools. By enlightening, empowering and enabling marketers, the MMA shapes marketing’s future success, while also propelling business growth.

For more information, visit www.mmaglobal.com.

Download the Report


Live Webinar

Join Teads and MMA Global for a live webinar on Wednesday, September 17 at 12:00pm EDT to learn more about the study's findings and what they mean for brands and agencies.

Register Today