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The BDM's CTV Survival Guide: How to Sell Smart (And Sleep Soundly)

Your friendly AdOps specialist's playbook for turning CTV curiosity into campaign reality—without the 3am panic emails

The Honest Truth: Why CTV Is "Hot" but "Rare"

Picture this: You're at a party. Everyone's talking about this amazing new restaurant. But when you actually try to book a table? Fully booked. Expensive. And they don't deliver to your neighborhood.
That's CTV right now.
And Ruta put it perfectly in #ctv:
"We see tons of interest in prices and inventory across markets, but only a handful of live campaigns. What are the main obstacles—prices, inventory, both, or something extra?"
The field reports came back fast:
  • Azerbaijan: "Definitely price" (Narmin)
  • Turkey: "Price AND lack of inventory" (Hami)
  • General consensus: "Non-competitive price or questionable/lack of inventory" (Tautvydas)
Here's the thing: CTV isn't broken. It's a premium product in a supply-constrained market. Think of it as selling seats to a Formula 1 race—incredible experience, limited availability, and definitely not budget-friendly.
Your job? Match the right client to the right opportunity. Let's show you how.

The "Look Before You Leap" Checklist

This article is here to help you shine. But we need you to do some homework first. Five minutes of verification beats five days of damage control.
Step 1: Inventory Detective Work (a.k.a. "Does This Market Even Have CTV?")
The self-serve option (EMP supply): Equativ, Pubmatic, Xandr, OpenX—these platforms show inventory directly. Post your request in #ctv for a quick export. Fast answers, no waiting.
The request-only clubs (Magnite & FreeWheel):
For these, we need to ask nicely and wait patiently:
Supplier Contact What to Include
Magnite dsp-support@magnite.com Market, advertiser, budget + fill this first: bit.ly/3NFbIiz
FreeWheel DTHARMARAJAH@freewheel.com, dspdemandne@freewheel.com, sharvey@freewheel.com, rchemello@freewheel.com Same details
Speed hack: Drop your request in #ctv Slack first. @Asif (our CTV lead) monitors it. The whole team monitors it. We catch things faster there than in email limbo.
The waiting reality: 3-4 business days minimum. Magnite can stretch to a week. FreeWheel is EU5/US-heavy; elsewhere is hit-or-miss.
Some markets have zero inventory (confirmed already : Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire) and for others have inventory but we need to check first.
Step 2: The Price Reality Check (Math That Matters)
Here's where campaigns live or die. That price in the inventory sheet? It's NET. As in, "before we add our margin." As in, "not what the client pays."
The formula you need tattooed on your palm:

Client CPM = Supplier NET Price + 30% Eskimi Margin + Any Client Rebates/Discounts

Real examples:
  • FreeWheel EU5/US: €18-€26 NET → Client sees €23.40-€33.80+
  • FreeWheel Malaysia: $5 NET → ~$6.20 with fees
  • Magnite: ~$20-$25 all-in
The conversation you want to have early: "Mr. Client, CTV CPMs start around $20-25. This reflects premium inventory, big-screen attention, and limited supply. If your budget is $5 CPM, let's talk about mobile video instead—CTV won't work here."
Step 3: The Timeline Sanity Check
CTV needs minimum 1 week lead time. Not "ideally." Not "if possible." Minimum.
Why? PMP deals are handcrafted, not instant. Magnite takes 2-3 days (up to a week). FreeWheel operates on its own schedule. And we haven't even started building the campaign yet.
Your not boring phrase: "CTV is absolutely possible. I need to verify inventory and secure our private deal access first—this takes about a week. Once confirmed, we'll have a smooth launch."
Step 4: The Creative Compatibility Check
Before you hand off to AdOps team, confirm your client actually has:
Requirement The Spec Why It Matters
Format MP4 Universal compatibility
Resolution Full HD 1920x1080px Looks stunning on big screens
Orientation Horizontal Vertical = tiny inventory
Length 30 seconds sweet spot Most publisher opportunities
File size Under 45MB ideal Speedy loading
The vertical video trap: Yes, we can run vertical. No, we shouldn't make it primary. Inventory is microscopic. Always lead with horizontal.
Step 5: The Vertical Vetting (Gambling & Restricted Categories)
Gambling: Generally banned. Some publishers might allow with full upfront disclosure of advertiser and creatives. Keyword: might. When in doubt, shout in #ctv before promising anything.
Other sensitive verticals: If it feels borderline, it probably is. Loop us in early.

Managing Client Expectations (The Art of Happy Clients)

Scenario 1: "What exactly is CTV?"
Your pitch: "Imagine your brand on the biggest screen in the house. Full attention, premium environment, programmatic precision. It's traditional TV's tech-savvy cousin—brand awareness heaven."
The honest addendum: "No clicks, though. This is about impact and recall, not direct response. Different KPIs, different magic."
Scenario 2: "Why is it so expensive?"
Your response: "Three reasons: One, you're buying undivided living room attention. Two, inventory is genuinely scarce—supply and demand. Three, your competitors probably aren't here yet. Premium positioning has a price, but it also has value."
Scenario 3: "Can we target 18-25 year-old males?"
Your reality check: "Not by demographics, unfortunately. CTV doesn't collect age/gender data. BUT—we can target by content context. Gaming enthusiasts? Series binge-watchers? Sports fans? We reach them by what they watch, not who they are. Sometimes context beats demographics."

When to Walk Away (And Keep Your Credibility)

Not every client is a CTV client. Saying "not this time" makes you strategic, not difficult.
Red flags that should make you pause:
  • Budget implies sub-$15 CPMs
  • Target market on the "hard no" list
  • "We need this live Friday" (it's Monday)
  • KPIs obsessed with clicks and conversions
  • Vertical in the "probably banned" zone
Your graceful pivot: "CTV is incredible for the right campaign. Given your timeline/budget/target, I think we'd get you better results with [mobile video/display/OTT]. Let's revisit CTV for your next brand push when the conditions are perfect."

Your AdOps Partnership: How to Reach Us

The CTV Guru: @Asif (AdOps Lead—he's solved problems you haven't imagined yet)
Your Fastest Path: #ctv Slack channel (post requests, tag @Asif or me)
Email Fallbacks:

The Bottom Line: We're in This Together

CTV is powerful—big screens, engaged audiences, brand impact that lasts. But it's not a universal solution. It's a precision tool for the right client, right budget, right market, right timeline.
Your success formula:
  1. Verify inventory first (#ctv is your friend)
  2. Calculate real prices (NET + 30% + rebates)
  3. Confirm timeline (1 week minimum)
  4. Validate creative specs
  5. Set honest expectations
  6. Launch with confidence
With the right inputs you'll have a campaign that delivers. Let's make some not boring big-screen momentum! 🚀📺
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