From D2C to CTV: Nik Sharma and James Borow on Reinventing TV Advertising at Marketecture Live

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Nov 10, 2025

Nik Sharma, CEO of Sharma Brands, and James Borow, VP of Product & Engineering at Comcast, delve into how direct-to-consumer tactics are transforming TV advertising. They discuss the shift towards real-time measurement and the integration of TV with social media strategies. Lower barriers to entry for brands, the importance of incremental and third-party measurement, and the role of AI in creative processes are highlighted. The duo emphasizes the need for marketers to adapt and view TV as an accessible, integrated platform that complements digital efforts.

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INSIGHT

TV Now Matches Social's Accessibility

TV is becoming as accessible and realtime as social ad platforms thanks to ads-API approaches.
Creative barriers falling and direct payment options make TV testable like Instagram ads.

INSIGHT

Incrementality Restores TV's Credit

DTC brands demand third-party incrementality measurement because they no longer trust first-party attribution.
That shift lets TV claim credit for real incremental impact it likely always delivered.

ANECDOTE

Scaling Hint Water From Social To TV

Nik Sharma scaled Hint Water from zero to mid-six-figure TV spend as social spend ballooned to $2M/month.
High production and placement costs originally made TV available only to heavily funded brands.

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Nik Sharma, CEO, Sharma Brands, and James Borow, VP, Product & Engineering, Comcast, explore how direct-to-consumer performance tactics are transforming traditional TV advertising. Recorded at Marketecture Live, they discuss the rise of real-time measurement, the merging of walled gardens and open web ecosystems, and how Universal Ads is making TV as accessible and data-driven as social platforms. The conversation highlights creative testing, AI’s growing role in production, and what marketers need to unlearn to thrive in the next phase of connected TV.

Takeaways

Direct-to-consumer brands are driving a shift toward more measurable, performance-focused TV advertising.
The creative process for TV is moving closer to social media’s rapid testing and iteration model.
Lower production barriers and ad tech integration are making TV more accessible to smaller brands.
Incrementality and third-party measurement are replacing outdated metrics and first-party trust.
Creative quality and adaptability now matter more than expensive, polished production.
TV’s role is increasingly about amplifying social campaigns and driving results on mobile.
AI is unlocking faster creative workflows, but still requires human direction and testing.
CMOs need to think like measurement product managers, balancing creativity with data literacy.
The future of TV advertising lies in accessibility, automation, and integration with digital platforms.

Chapter

00:00 Introduction and Background of Nik Sharma and James Borow

02:00 Understanding D2C Brands and Their Approach to Ad Tech

03:30 Why Now Is the Moment to Rethink TV Advertising

05:00 The Shift from Brand Spend to Performance-Driven TV

06:30 Integrating TV into a Modern Media Mix

08:00 How Ad Tech Evolution Made TV Accessible

09:30 From Polished Commercials to Test-and-Learn Creative Models

12:00 TV as the Second Screen and the Rise of Social-Led Storytelling

14:00 Changing Creative Standards Across TV and Social Platforms

15:30 What CMOs Need to Unlearn About TV Buying

17:00 The Role of AI and Automation in Modern TV Advertising

18:30 The Future of Generative AI in Creative Production

19:00 Career Advice for the Next Generation in Ad Tech

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