The Rise of Addressable Linear TV: A New Era for UK Marketers

What Is Addressable Linear TV?

Addressable linear TV refers to technology that enables different households to see different ads during the same live broadcast. In practice, it overlays precision-targeted ads in place of the default linear ads on TV channels . Unlike traditional linear advertising, where everyone watching a programme in a region sees the same ad, addressable linear uses household-level data (e.g. demographics, location, interests) to determine which ad is shown in each home. This approach shifts TV advertising from being programme-focused (buying spots in shows to reach broad demographics) to audience-focused, where marketers can reach specific households with tailored messages . This evolution brings the precise targeting capabilities of digital advertising to the big TV screen, enabling personalised ads in real-time broadcast content.

Why Addressable Linear TV Matters for Marketers

For marketers, addressable linear TV is a strategic breakthrough that blends television’s unrivaled reach with digital-like precision. It means brands can now deliver more relevant ads to viewers, reducing waste on audiences unlikely to be interested in their product. For example, a car brand could show an SUV ad to a family household while a sports car ad is shown to a young single viewer – simultaneously on the same channel. This relevance tends to boost engagement (Sky’s data has shown addressable ads increase ad engagement by 35% and cut channel switching almost in half ). Crucially, addressability also makes TV accessible to advertisers with niche or regional audiences. Smaller brands or local businesses that found national TV too broad or costly can use granular targeting (by region, life stage, income, etc.) to run TV campaigns “at potentially a fraction of the cost of traditional TV” by only paying for their specific audience . In a media landscape where digital platforms have thrived on targeting, addressable TV helps level the playing field, allowing television to better compete with online channels for ad spend . The result is a broader market opportunity: more advertisers can consider TV and existing TV advertisers can execute more sophisticated audience strategies.

From BVOD and AdSmart to Live Addressable+: What’s Different?

Up to now, UK advertisers have had some targeting tools in TV, but with limitations. Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) platforms like ITVX and All 4 have allowed targeting in on-demand streaming content – for instance, using viewer login data to serve specific ads. However, BVOD only reaches viewers watching on-demand, which is a subset of the total TV audience. The big missing piece has been live linear TV, where the bulk of viewing on major channels still happens.

Meanwhile, Sky’s AdSmart (launched in 2014) pioneered addressable ads in linear TV via Sky’s set-top boxes . AdSmart allowed household-targeted ads on Sky and partner channels (including Channel 4’s channels after a 2019 deal) to Sky/Virgin Media subscribers. It proved the concept that TV ads could be targeted by location, behavior or demographics, enabling use-cases like a local retailer advertising just in its region. Yet, AdSmart had constraints: it only reached pay-TV households and couldn’t serve ads in truly live moments like some major sports broadcasts . It also carried a cost premium, as every targeted impression costs more, which means advertisers trade off broader reach for precision . Additionally, addressable campaigns under AdSmart were not counted in standard BARB TV ratings, requiring separate measurement tools to gauge performance .

ITV’s newly launched “Live Addressable+” marks a significant shift in this context. Announced at ITV’s Palooza event in late 2025, it brings addressable targeting to ITV’s live broadcast channels for the first time . ITV reports that by adding live linear inventory, it has tripled the amount of viewing available to addressable advertising on its platforms compared to the start of 2025 . The move exemplifies how addressable linear is evolving from a niche option to a mainstream component of TV media planning.

ITV’s Live Addressable+ – A Case Study in Innovation

Advertisers using Live Addressable+ can choose from a range of targeting options, ranging from life stage and household income to location and even purchase intent signals . These segments are powered by ITV’s first-party data (e.g. user registrations and viewing data) enriched with partner data. Notably, ITV’s Retail Match program allows matching audiences with datasets from partners like Carwow (auto intenders) and Tesco’s Clubcard (shopping habits) in a privacy-compliant way.

By integrating live TV, ITV is offering both extended reach and refined targeting. “For advertisers that means both extended reach and targeting of a whole different audience as we bring addressable capabilities into live TV,” explains ITV’s Commercial Strategy Director.

ITV’s initiative also exemplifies broadcasters’ strategic response to viewing shifts: even as streaming grows, live linear still draws mass audiences (for sports, big entertainment shows, news), so enabling data-driven ad targeting in that arena is a crucial innovation to keep TV advertising relevant and effective.

The emergence of addressable linear TV marks a timely evolution in media buying. It comes at a moment when TV networks are adapting to fragmenting viewership and heightened advertiser expectations for targeting and accountability. For UK advertisers, this development opens a new toolkit: the ability to treat live TV with the same strategic finesse as digital, layering data-driven decisions onto the biggest screen in the home. ITV’s Live Addressable+ is a high-profile leap in this direction, exemplifying how the market is shifting toward a future where offline and online advertising concepts converge. Marketers and media planners should approach this trend strategically, embracing the opportunity to enhance relevance and effectiveness, while remaining mindful of the balance between precision and scale. Addressable linear TV is here, and it’s redefining how campaigns can be planned, targeted, and measured in the UK’s television landscape.