BT Scores 6X ROI with £6M Shift to YouTube CTV

BT's senior marketing and media executive Graeme Adams has spoken about how the company achieved a significant return on investment by shifting £6M to YouTube Connected TV (CTV). According to Adams, BT was paying more for fewer eyeballs from older demographics, making it clear that traditional TV advertising was no longer effective. The company decided to execute the largest channel shift in its annual plan, allocating over £6M to YouTube CTV.

The strategy involved a comprehensive AV approach that integrated digital platforms like YouTube to address changing consumer behaviors and active viewing habits. This included balancing cross-channel OneAV planning at the top of the funnel with in-platform full-funnel activation on YouTube. BT also worked with its agency, WPP, and Google to validate the approach through rigorous data analysis.

The results were impressive, showing a 6X return on investment (ROI). To sustain this momentum, BT has committed to increasing its year-on-year YouTube CTV investment by 30%. Adams believes that smart automation and data-backed measurement can confidently win boardroom budget battles. He also thinks the era of passive media planning is over, requiring marketers to move past legacy assumptions and lean into robust third-party measurement.