Sky AdSmart vs ITVX: which platform fits your CTV campaign?

What to take away

How the two platforms differ

Sky AdSmart and ITVX sit in different parts of the UK connected TV market. Sky AdSmart delivers different ads to different Sky households watching the same programme. It is sold by Sky Media and works as an addressable layer on top of broadcast TV.

ITVX is ITV's streaming service, combining live channels and on-demand programmes (ITVX). Its ad inventory is sold by ITV Media, with targeting and buying handled through ITV's own addressable buying platform, Planet V. That makes ITVX a streaming-first buy, while Sky AdSmart is a broadcast-first buy.

Reach and targeting compared

Neither platform publishes a single universal rate card, so treat any figures you are quoted as specific to your brief. The differences that decide a campaign are how each platform defines an audience, how the buy is booked and what the reporting covers.

For postcode-level targeting, Sky AdSmart has a clear strength: it can split a national broadcast into many household groups, built from postcode, household and viewing data. ITVX is stronger when you want to align with specific ITV programmes or reach viewers on demand, where targeting leans on ITV's own audience segments and programme context.

Booking routes and what to ask for in a quote

Sky AdSmart is booked through Sky Media, and ITVX through ITV Media or directly in Planet V. Entry points on both change with seasonality, and neither publishes a fixed price, so the comparison is made on written quotes for the same brief. Ask for a rate card that shows cost per thousand, production costs and any platform fee. Do not assume a small budget rules out either platform; ask for the current minimum.

Booking starts the same way on both sides. Send a brief that sets out the target audience, the campaign dates and the creative you already hold, then ask each sales team for a written quote and a delivery schedule for your flight dates.

Where each platform fits best

Choose Sky AdSmart when your audience is defined by location, household type or a customer segment you already understand. It is a natural fit for regional retail, automotive, property and finance campaigns that need different messages by area.

Choose ITVX when the campaign depends on specific programmes, on-demand viewing or a broad national audience. It works well for brand launches, entertainment and lifestyle products that benefit from context.

Measurement and verification

You should agree how success will be measured before you book. Ask whether the platform reports completed views, reach, frequency or brand lift. For addressable campaigns, request household-level reporting where available.

Campaigns that run across broadcast and streaming inventory need a shared currency. CFlight, the UK's first unified TV advertising metric, captures the vast majority of live, time-shifted and on-demand commercial impacts and impressions across all viewing platforms and produces campaign reports with de-duplicated total reach and frequency across linear TV and broadcaster VOD. It is a joint initiative between Sky Media, ITV Media and 4 Sales, and Thinkbox estimates that it covers over 98% of UK broadcaster advertising.

Reports sit on Barb data. Barb Ads Hub is the sole location where UK buyers and sellers of advertising can estimate and evaluate campaign performance across linear and VOD services using Barb data and media owners' first-party data, and Barb's Trustmark guarantees that all audience data in the system has been compiled and reported in accordance with joint-industry standards of objectivity, transparency and accountability.

Data matching and audience uploads need a lawful basis under the UK GDPR (UK GDPR). That matters if you plan to match customer lists or use first-party data for targeting.

Agree a consistent viewability definition before you compare platform reports, because each platform counts a completed view differently. All ads must also comply with the UK advertising codes: the CAP Code for non-broadcast ads and the BCAP Code for broadcast ads, which the ASA enforces.

A simple test plan

A controlled test is the fastest way to learn which platform suits your brand. Keep it small, and settle the question it must answer before you book:

Common questions

These are the questions UK advertisers raise most often when they weigh the two platforms against each other.

Is Sky AdSmart cheaper than ITVX?

There is no public rate card that proves one is always cheaper. Costs depend on targeting, volume, timing and whether you buy direct or programmatically.

Can I run the same creative on both?

You can usually adapt the same core spot, but check each platform's length, aspect ratio and clearance rules. ITVX may offer formats that Sky AdSmart does not.

Which platform is better for local UK targeting?

Sky AdSmart is often the stronger choice for postcode-level targeting. ITVX can still reach local audiences, but its main strength is content-led streaming inventory.

How do I measure results across both?

Agree common metrics such as completed views, reach and frequency before launch. Use platform reports alongside any independent brand-lift study.