Connected TV (CTV) in Southeast Asia is entering a new chapter—one defined not just by scale, but by interactivity. Once valued primarily for its ability to deliver premium, brand-safe reach in a fragmented media landscape, CTV is now evolving into an engagement-driven channel that blurs the line between content and commerce.
From shoppable ads and gamified experiences to dynamic creative formats tailored to viewer behaviours, advertisers across Southeast Asia are exploring how to make television not only watched, but actively participated in. For marketers, this shift signals more than a technological upgrade; it represents a reimagining of television as a two-way medium—where attention is no longer passive, but a catalyst for measurable action.
In our latest What’s NEXT in Marketing interview, we recently spoke with Akshay Nandoskar, director for Southeast Asia at mCanvas to discuss the evolution of interactive CTV in Southeast Asia, and share insights on how brands can fully utilise the budding CTV-mobile bridge to create meaningful and interactive campaigns with consumers.
Designing continuity beyond CTV
Akshay noted that the CTV–mobile bridge is just the beginning for the seamless handoff between CTV and mobile. Citing Southeast Asia as an example, he notes that mobile sits at the centre of everything from shopping to payments, and the next step is extending those interactions into every environment a consumer inhabits.
“Think about a CTV ad for a sneaker drop: it hands off to mobile for purchase via a QR code, lets the user try it in AR, and could even nudge them into a VR launch event at home,” he explained.
He then added that this handoff continues to expand when you consider other verticals, stating, “Now when we layer in mobile web, in-app experiences, push notifications, and even in-store triggers — we have a continuous engagement loop where every touchpoint reinforces the other. In-store moments can be tied back to footfall attribution, making the experience measurable.”
For Akshay, designing for this kind of continuity wins attention, drives action, and builds repeat engagement across the funnel.
“Every screen, surface, and interaction can be part of a single, continuous engagement loop,” he said.
Quantifying audience resonance on interactive CTV campaigns
When asked how can brands quantify emotional resonance or attention depth in an environment where viewers are actively participating rather than passively watching, Akshay remarked that brands can’t merely rely on impressions or viewability anymore.
“In interactive environments, participation itself is the signal of attention. If someone scans a QR code, completes a poll, or leans in to explore a brand story, then these actions already show depth of engagement,” he said.
In their case at mCanvas, he noted that they have seen a significant lift in purchase intent, as well as in view-through rates through interactive CTV campaigns. However, there’s a caveat involved in terms of real impact of CTV campaigns.
“The real impact happens when CTV and mobile are fused together to create an omnichannel experience. That’s how you turn passive viewing into action, driving higher intent, stronger recall, and ultimately, measurable sales impact,” he explained.
This insight then leads to the need of creating adaptive ads without being ‘intrusive’ to audiences. For instance, Akshay explains that mCanvas’ formats are designed to blend into the environment — neat, subtle, and mindful of the user experience based on their feedback.
“When ads are built this way, viewers spend more time, attention runs deeper, and recall strengthens. So customisation should go as far as enhancing relevance and control, not at the cost of value for the advertiser, but in service of it,” he said.
The evolution of interactive CTV－and how to ride with it
Akshay explained how various emerging methods－from voice commands, gesture recognition, and smart-home integrations－are play a defining role in how people interact with CTV ads.
On their end at mCanvas, they are already building the tech to make these interactions seamless, from live score API overlays, to polls, gamified experiences, and carousels that let viewers swipe through options on the biggest screen in the house.
“Interactive CTV itself is an emerging input method. It transforms the TV from a passive screen into a participatory one, where gestures, motion, and even subtle actions become new ways to engage with brands,” he said.
Akshay added, “As formats evolve, we’ll see ads that don’t interrupt viewing, but invite people to play, explore, and respond, delivering higher attention and measurable impact.”
Speaking about the future of interactive CTV, he says that one thing is certain: interactive CTV will move from novelty to expectation.
“Ads will become more immersive, personalised, and shoppable, powered by AI, AR/VR, seamless cross-device integration, [among others]. At mCanvas, we are already building for an industry where viewers engage directly through QR codes, and clickable overlays turning CTV into a two-way channel rather than a passive screen,” he explained.
He also noted how artificial intelligence (AI) will help improve CTV campaigns, adding, “AI will help brands deliver the right creative at the right moment, while advanced measurement will track attention, engagement, and conversions, giving advertisers confidence to optimise campaigns across the full marketing funnel.”
In short, interactive CTV will become a core pillar of omnichannel strategies in a multi-screen world.
When asked about how can agencies, brands, and platforms can collaborate with one another to creative meaningful CTV campaigns, Akshay shared that teams must see the difference when creative storytelling, data-driven targeting, and technology are designed together from the start. With that in mind, campaigns become seamless, scalable, and genuinely engaging.
“The trick is to think beyond flashy interactivity: every choice, every interaction should feel natural to the viewer while generating measurable outcomes. When collaboration is structured this way, campaigns capture attention, drive action, and create memorable brand experiences,” he concluded.
