The definition of “television” continues to blur, and according to industry leaders at Cannes 2026, YouTube sits squarely at the center of this transformation. As the platform’s viewership on the big screen skyrockets, advertisers are realizing it can no longer be siloed as just a social or search play.
Jon Morgenstern, EVP & Head of Investment at VaynerX, highlighted the platform’s massive scale, noting that “YouTube surpassed Netflix… in terms of either time spent or total audience.” As CPMs in the CTV space begin to normalize, Morgenstern points out that we are moving from an era of pure efficiency to one of effectiveness, where YouTube and CTV can show up very competitively.
But YouTube isn’t just a TV substitute; its versatility is unmatched. Sean Odlum, CPO at Tinuiti, perfectly captured its multifaceted nature: “It’s a streaming video platform. It’s also kind of a commerce platform. It’s a social platform… It’s like kinda this Swiss Army knife that it can be many tools depending on the situation and the application.” This allows brands to serve hardcore performance functions while simultaneously reaching deep, niche audiences who watch three-hour podcast videos.
For mid-market and boutique brands, this versatility is a game-changer. Kyle Kreuger, EVP at Deep Focus, explained that “YouTube is seen as a major player, and there’s almost a parity with what you would receive from traditional TV.” The difference lies in targetability and cost, making it easier to tie back to tangible results.
The real magic, however, happens when brands prioritize context over mere connection. Doug Rozen, President of Cadent, argues that while connected television is amazing, there’s too much emphasis on just reaching the person and not enough on the contextualization of the video. “YouTube is the ultimate destination for contextual television,” Rozen stated, emphasizing the need for advertisers to plan video in totality—”one plan, one audience, one time”—to unify reach and frequency.
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Check out more content from Cannes!
The quotes featured in the blog post are from the Next in Media podcast hosted by Mike Sheilds. You can check out this year’s Cannes episodes on our YouTube channel here to hear even more from industry experts.