Connected TV and OTT advertising in Lebanon and the Middle East: the complete guide for 2026

Connected TV and OTT advertising in Lebanon and the Middle East: the complete guide for 2026

Connected TV advertising is the fastest-growing ad format in the MENA region in 2026. Streaming adoption in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon has reached a tipping point - Lebanese households that cut cable during the economic crisis replaced it with Netflix, Shahid, OSN+, and YouTube on smart TVs. Advertisers who understand how to reach those viewers have a window of advantage before the market becomes as competitive as social media.

This guide covers what CTV and OTT advertising are, what platforms are available in MENA, what campaigns cost, how targeting works, and which types of Lebanese businesses should consider it now versus later.

CTV vs OTT: understanding the terminology

These terms are related but distinct:

OTT (Over-The-Top): Any streaming service delivered over the internet instead of cable or satellite. Netflix, YouTube, Shahid, OSN+, and Anghami are OTT services. The "over-the-top" refers to going over the top of traditional cable infrastructure.

CTV (Connected TV): The device used to stream OTT content on a television screen. Smart TVs, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and PlayStation are CTV devices. A person watching Netflix on their Smart TV is a CTV viewer. Watching on their phone is mobile OTT.

Why the distinction matters for advertising: CTV advertising reaches viewers in a lean-back, high-attention environment on a large screen. It commands higher CPMs and delivers different viewer behavior than mobile or desktop. Completion rates for CTV ads routinely exceed 90% because most CTV ad formats are non-skippable within content.

Streaming adoption in Lebanon and MENA in 2026

The Lebanese streaming landscape shifted dramatically between 2019 and 2024. Economic pressures led many Lebanese households to cancel satellite packages and shift to subscription streaming and free ad-supported content. By 2026:

• YouTube remains the dominant free video platform in Lebanon, with significant Smart TV viewership alongside mobile
• Netflix and Shahid lead paid subscription streaming, with strong penetration in Lebanese households with international connections
• TikTok has moved beyond short-form into longer content, capturing younger Lebanese viewers
• OSN+ serves the premium Arabic drama and sports audience
• Free ad-supported streaming (FAST channels) is growing as an alternative for cost-conscious viewers

In the broader MENA region, the UAE has 65% daily streaming penetration. Saudi Arabia's streaming market is one of the fastest-growing in the world. These markets matter to Lebanese businesses targeting the Gulf diaspora and regional customers.

How CTV/OTT advertising works

CTV advertising is bought and executed through programmatic platforms or direct publisher deals:

Programmatic CTV: Use a DSP (like The Trade Desk or DV360) to buy CTV inventory across multiple streaming apps and publishers simultaneously. You set targeting parameters and bids; the platform places your ad across available inventory. This is flexible and scalable but requires higher minimum budgets and more sophisticated management.

Direct publisher deals: Buy ad inventory directly from a specific streaming service - Shahid, OSN+, or YouTube. More predictable placement but less targeting flexibility. YouTube is the most accessible entry point for Lebanese businesses because it integrates with existing Google Ads accounts.

YouTube on CTV: The most practical starting point for Lebanese businesses. YouTube CTV ads appear when Lebanese viewers watch YouTube on their Smart TVs. You can buy these through your Google Ads account using the Connected TV device targeting option, with budgets as low as $500/month.

Targeting options for Lebanese and MENA businesses

CTV advertising offers several targeting approaches:

• Geographic targeting: Country, region, or city. Lebanese businesses can target viewers in Lebanon specifically, or target Lebanese diaspora in specific Gulf cities.
• Demographic targeting: Age, gender, household income (where available from streaming platforms)
• Behavioral/interest targeting: Viewers who have shown interest in categories relevant to your business - home improvement, food, finance, fashion
• Content targeting: Place your ad on specific content categories or even specific shows on platforms that allow it
• First-party data retargeting: Upload your customer list and target people who have already interacted with your brand
• Lookalike audiences: Reach viewers who match the profile of your existing customers

CTV advertising costs in MENA in 2026

CTV is premium inventory, and pricing reflects that:

• CPM (cost per 1000 impressions): $12 to $35 for MENA CTV, versus $3 to $8 for standard display
• YouTube CTV: More accessible at $6 to $18 CPM through Google Ads bidding
• Shahid and OSN+ direct deals: Typically require minimum commitments of $5,000 to $10,000 per campaign
• Minimum effective budget for programmatic CTV: $2,000 to $5,000/month to generate meaningful reach and data

These costs put traditional CTV advertising outside the range of most Lebanese SMEs. The exception is YouTube CTV, which Lebanese businesses can access with existing Google Ads accounts at budgets that start around $500 to $1,000/month.

Which Lebanese businesses should consider CTV advertising now

CTV makes sense for Lebanese businesses that:

Have a mass consumer product or service: Restaurants, FMCG brands, real estate, retail, and consumer financial products benefit most from the high-attention CTV environment.

Are targeting higher-income Lebanese households: CTV viewers in Lebanon tend to have higher household incomes than the average - they have reliable internet and pay for streaming. If your product targets this segment, CTV alignment is strong.

Have an established brand: CTV is an upper-funnel brand awareness channel. It works best when viewers already have some brand familiarity. For a brand-new business with zero awareness, Google Search and Meta will drive better ROI.

Are targeting the Gulf region: Saudi Arabia and UAE CTV penetration makes OTT advertising highly relevant for Lebanese businesses with Gulf market ambitions.

Have a video production capability: CTV ads require actual video content - typically 15 or 30 seconds. If you do not have quality video assets, invest in production before investing in CTV media.

Creative best practices for CTV ads

CTV ads are unskippable in most formats - viewers will see them in full. This means poor creative causes active brand damage rather than passive ignorance. Standards:

• Message clarity in first 5 seconds: State who you are and what you do immediately
• Branding throughout: Logo visible from beginning to end on CTV screens
• Simple CTA for a TV context: Viewers cannot click on a CTV ad. The CTA should be memorable - a URL, a phone number, or a brand name to search later
• Professional production quality: A 15-second CTV ad on a Smart TV next to Netflix original content will be compared, consciously or not, to those production standards

The starting point for most Lebanese businesses: repurpose your best Instagram Reel or Facebook video ad, adapt the CTA for a TV context, and test on YouTube CTV before investing in premium placements.

Voxire helps Lebanese businesses build multi-channel digital advertising strategies that grow with their budget - from Google Search and Meta foundations to programmatic and CTV when the time is right.

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