Your 2026 Guide to Q4 CTV Creative

Q4 is one of the highest-stakes stretches on the retail calendar. Shoppers spend months researching gifts and planning ahead. Much of that now happens at home in front of the biggest screen in the house: they stream a holiday movie with phone in hand, ready to buy before the credits roll. And a growing share of that research now starts inside AI chat and search, which means the clicks brands once captured at the moment of a query are no longer a given. Instead, the advantage goes to brands that build demand earlier while people are still watching and deciding. Here is what’s shaping Q4 spending this year, and how to build Connected TV (CTV) creative that earns attention when the living room becomes the most valuable real estate of the year.

The Trends.

Holiday viewership climbs every Q4, and more and more of it lands on streaming as broadcast and cable keep shedding share. In December 2025, streaming accounted for 47.5% of all U.S. TV viewing, its highest share yet. The near-unskippable, sound-on format of Connected TV makes it one of the most reliable channels for reaching holiday shoppers.

The spending potential behind that attention is enormous, and advertisers know it. U.S. holiday sales are projected to clear $1 trillion for the first time, and CTV ad spend is set to reach $37.95 billion in 2026. But the way people shop the season has changed. This year, Q4 research is starting earlier and value-hunting is running deeper. We expect buying to happen across more screens than ever, too.

Most viewers shop while they watch. Around 83% keep a second device within reach during a show, using it to compare a price or head straight to an advertiser’s site mid-stream. And the decision-ready mindset of Black Friday and Cyber Monday doesn’t switch off on December 26th. Travel Tuesday alone drives 3.5x the trip bookings of an average day, many for getaways months out, a sign that Q4 intent keeps converting well into the new year.

$1T+ Projected U.S. holiday season sales.

$37.95B Projected U.S. CTV ad spend in 2026.

47.5% Share of U.S. TV viewing that went to streaming in December 2025.

Creative Best Practices.

Whether your audience is hunting for the right gift or already booking a January escape, CTV lets you reach them with messaging built for the moment. We asked our creative experts for the practices that work hardest in Q4:

1. Lean into the season’s rituals.
Q4 unfolds on the TV screen, and streaming now commands most of the time spent there. Build creative around the moments viewers know best, like wrapping gifts at the kitchen table, the Black Friday rush, a house full of guests, or the slow reset of early January. Ads that mirror the season viewers are actually in feel like part of the experience, rather than being an interruption.

2. Lead with value.
Price is the first thing most Q4 shoppers look for. When affordability is driving the decision, put the discount or the loyalty perk in the first few seconds to immediately hook viewers. But value framing doesn’t have to feel cheap. A well-made spot can lead with the deal and still carry the polish of the brand behind it.

3. Match your message to the deal calendar.
One message can’t carry the entire quarter. A shopper comparing early-bird deals in October is in a different frame of mind than one racing the clock during Cyber Week. Travel Tuesday shows how far that intent reaches, with bookings spiking days after the gifting rush (often for trips months down the road). Plan distinct beats for each phase of the season rather than trying to stretch one message across all of them.

4. Give viewers a next step.
Most people watch with a phone or laptop already in hand, which means a Q4 ad can turn attention into action in real-time. Consider pointing your target audience somewhere obvious, like a QR code or a short, memorable URL, and make sure you keep your branding present throughout so viewers know exactly who is asking and what to do next.

The Whole Package.

Q4 has stretched into a months-long run that starts before the first sale of the season and keeps paying out after the new year begins. No matter who you’re chasing this season, your audience is likely watching from the couch and ready to act. This quarter rewards brands that arrive early, adjust their message as the calendar turns. Stick around long enough, and you’ll catch the intent others leave behind. So give holiday viewers creative built for the moment they are in, and the biggest quarter of the year will work in your favor.