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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryAdtech & ProgrammaticOver-the-Top (OTT)

Adtech & Programmatic

Over-the-Top (OTT)

Video content delivered over the internet, bypassing cable or satellite, on any device.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Over-the-top (OTT) refers to video content delivered over the internet rather than through cable or satellite systems, viewable on any device, including smart TVs, phones, computers, and streaming players. In advertising, OTT is often used alongside or interchangeably with CTV, though OTT describes the delivery method and CTV the television screen.