--- title: "May 2020: Programmatic Connected TV/OTT ad spend bouncing back, up 40% after initial COVID-19 shock; Hulu, Sling TV among risers" description: Pixalate’s research on how Connected TV/OTT programmatic advertising is shifting during the COVID-19 pandemic, including spend trends and app analysis. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/covid-19-connected-tv-ott-ctv-programmatic-ad-spend-may-2020.png --- [![pixalate-full-logo](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Pixalate_Logos/pixalate-full-logo.jpg?width=150&height=60&name=pixalate-full-logo.jpg "pixalate-full-logo")](https://www.pixalate.com) Search **Menu** ** ** ![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/covid-19-connected-tv-ott-ctv-programmatic-ad-spend-may-2020.png) [CTV](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/ctv) | [Research Reports](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/research-reports) | 2 min read # May 2020: Programmatic Connected TV/OTT ad spend bouncing back, up 40% after initial COVID-19 shock; Hulu, Sling TV among risers Written by [Pixalate](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/pixalate) Jun 1, 2020 9:00:00 AM *Hulu (+44%), Sling TV (+30%) among notable app risers; All major device types see ad spend bump, including Roku (+44%) and Apple (+41%)* --- **PALO ALTO, Calif., June 1, 2020** -- [Pixalate](https://www.pixalate.com/), a global ad fraud intelligence and marketing compliance platform, today released an update to its COVID-19 benchmarks: [Programmatic Ad Spend in the Age of COVID-19: Connected TV/OTT Advertising Report](https://info.pixalate.com/covid19-programmatic-ad-spend-connected-tv-ott-ctv-may-2020), examining how U.S. programmatic advertisers have shifted budgets during the ongoing pandemic. The latest report details programmatic OTT/CTV ad spend patterns from April through May 2020. [![See The Research](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2364596/5e4785fb-295e-47e7-a5f7-60d903a1ae6b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2364596/5e4785fb-295e-47e7-a5f7-60d903a1ae6b) ### **Key Findings: Programmatic Connected TV/OTT ad spend bounces back 40%** - **OTT/CTV ad spend:** Connected TV (CTV) / over-the-top (OTT) ad spend rose 40% in the time period studied, bouncing back from a 14% dip in March - **Hulu, Sling TV rise over 30%:** Hulu (+44%) and Sling TV (+30%), the two biggest Roku store apps by programmatic ad spend, saw significant gains - **Roku, Apple devices leap**: All major OTT/CTV devices saw an increase in ad spend since April, including Roku (+44%) and Apple (+40%) - **‘Kids & Family’ apps rise 128%:** Apps in the ‘Kids & Family’ category on Roku saw a 128% increase in programmatic ad spend These figures are based on Pixalate's analysis comparing the weeks of April 5-11 to May 10-16, 2020. ### **The CW, Hulu, Sling TV among top rising apps** The [report](https://info.pixalate.com/covid19-programmatic-ad-spend-connected-tv-ott-ctv-may-2020) includes 20 notable Roku store apps that saw ad spend gains (based on programmatic ad transactions) in the time frame studied, according to Pixalate's research. Below are some examples of fast-rising apps: - The CW (+129%) - Fox News Channel (+103%) - Hulu (+44%) - ABC (+31%) - Sling TV (+30%) **What's inside the report** Pixalate's [Programmatic Ad Spend in the Age of COVID-19: Connected TV/OTT Advertising Report — Version 2.0](https://info.pixalate.com/covid19-programmatic-ad-spend-connected-tv-ott-ctv-may-2020) includes: - Programmatic OTT/CTV ad spend trends on a week-by-week basis from April through May 2020 - Fastest-rising Roku apps based on ad spend - OTT/CTV device types that saw the biggest change in ad spend and ad market share of voice - Roku app categories that saw the most change based on ad spend - Supply-side platforms (SSPs) that saw the most change in programmatic ad share of voice “After pulling back ad spend in March, OTT/CTV advertisers appear to be reinvesting in the ecosystem as consumers continue to stay home,” said Jalal Nasir, CEO of Pixalate. “All major device types saw ad spend gains in April and May, a promising sign that that OTT/CTV ad landscape is quickly regaining its footing.” Download a free copy of the [Programmatic Ad Spend in the Age of COVID-19: Connected TV/OTT Report — Version 2.0](https://info.pixalate.com/covid19-programmatic-ad-spend-connected-tv-ott-ctv-may-2020) today. **Follow Pixalate** - [Blog](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2776973-1&h=125551950&u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.pixalate.com%2F&a=Blog) - [LinkedIn](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2776973-1&h=1092426492&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fpixalate&a=LinkedIn) - [Twitter](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2776973-1&h=1892333288&u=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fpixalateinc&a=Twitter) **About Pixalate** Pixalate, a global ad fraud intelligence and marketing compliance platform, works with brands and platforms to prevent invalid traffic and improve ad inventory quality. We offer the only system of coordinated solutions across display, app, video, and OTT/CTV for better detection and elimination of ad fraud. Pixalate is an **MRC-accredited service for the detection and filtration of sophisticated invalid traffic** (SIVT) across desktop and mobile web, mobile in-app, and OTT/CTV advertising. [www.pixalate.com](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2776973-1&h=479447229&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pixalate.com%2F&a=www.pixalate.com) **Disclaimer** The content of this press release, and the Programmatic Ad Spend in the Age of COVID-19: Connected TV/OTT Advertising Report — Version 2.0 (the "**Report**"), reflect Pixalate's opinions with respect to factors that Pixalate believes can be useful to the digital media industry. Any insights shared are grounded in Pixalate's proprietary technology and analytics, which Pixalate is continuously evaluating and updating. As cited in the Report and referenced in the Report's key findings reproduced herein, programmatic ad transactions, as measured by Pixalate, are used as a proxy for ad spend. The Report examines U.S. advertising activity. Any references to outside sources in the Report and herein should not be construed as endorsements. Pixalate's opinions are just that, opinions, which means that they are neither facts nor guarantees. **MEDIA CONTACT** info@pixalate.com ### Search Blog Search ### Follow Pixalate ### Subscribe to our blog *By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use ](https://www.pixalate.com/terms)and [Privacy Policy.](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) Previous Story [← Pixalate Week in Review: May 25 - 29, 2020](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-ad-fraud-news-may-29-2020) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [Adweek, MediaPost: Programmatic Connected TV/OTT advertising shows signs of recovery; transactions rise 40% →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/programmatic-connected-tv-ctv-ott-covid19-benchmarks-news-coverage) ## You May Also Like These Stories on CTV [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog%20Media/2026%20Covers%20and%20Images/OpenEPG%20landing%20page%20hero%20image.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/pixalate-launches-openepg-1.0-analytics-to-bring-linear-tv-grade-measurement-verification-to-open-programmatic-ctv) [Mobile](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/mobile) ### [Pixalate Launches OpenEPG™ 1.0 Analytics to Bring Linear TV-Grade Measurement & Verification to Open Programmatic CTV; 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