Sneak Preview: Match & Measure: Evaluating CTV Ad Effectiveness at Streaming Media Connect 2026
On Tuesday, February 24, Erin Firneno, EVP of business intelligence at Advertiser Perceptions, will moderate the Streaming Media Connect panel “Match & Measure: Evaluating CTV Ad Effectiveness.” As more advertising budget trends toward CTV, proving performance across fragmented platforms is critical to the success of the brands that invest in it. This panel of measurement and metrics experts from the ad-supported streaming ecosystem breaks down how marketers and publishers are reaching responsive audiences, moving from exposure to engagement to measurable outcomes, and identifying what truly moves the needle in CTV advertising.
Confirmed panelists include:
- Julie Triolo, ex-SVP Product Marketing, Fox Corporation
- Christina Chung, VP, Business Operations, MediaCo Holding, Inc.
- Mark Loughney, Senior Consultant, Hub Entertainment Research
- Nathalie Bordes, Strategic Advisor, Swerve Sports
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Erin Firneno is a published thought leader who advises media companies on important marketing trends and industry dynamics. She has extensive experience conducting strategic research on the value and effectiveness of TV and digital media as advertising platforms and has deep expertise in market research. Firneno has led the research work at advertising sales organizations, including The New York Times. At Advertiser Perceptions, Firneno is focused on working with clients such as Tubi, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Roku, and Snapchat.
“The measurement gap is what’s holding CTV back from reaching its full potential,” Fireno asserts. “While CTV consistently delivers a halo effect—we see organic search, paid search, and social engagement all improve when CTV is running—advertisers are hesitant to shift significant performance budgets without the same measurement rigor they get from other digital channels. To unlock more budget, CTV platforms must move beyond reach and frequency to offer the same level of accountability and proven ROI that performance advertisers expect from established digital channels. The promise of combining TV’s impact with digital’s precision is still waiting to be fully realized.”
Julie Triolo runs a consulting/marketing business. She previously served as SVP of product marketing at Fox Corporation, SVP of global research and marketing at Vevo, and VP of product marketing at Warner Bros. Discovery. In 2015, Triolo was appointed to the National Press Foundation’s board of directors, where she served as co-chairperson of the fundraising committee. She was also awarded the Presidential award from the Advertising Club of New York. Triolo earned her B.A. in communications from the University of California–Santa Barbara.
“In this panel, my focus will center around a next-gen era of media consumption behaviors, where new habits are forming and therefore brands are forced to change the way they connect with their communities,” Triolo previews. “The CTV platform provides a unique opportunity to effectively deliver and measure campaigns across the funnel. Whatever the advertisers’ goal, there is an equally relevant campaign strategy to achieve those outcomes, plus new and evolving tech and tools that are harnessed to hyper target audiences and measure advertising efficacy delivering proper proof of performance.”
She continues, “In terms of the panel’s value to this audience, the challenge they face is how quickly the media landscape changes as does the development of new technologies and tools that help move businesses and brands forward. As experts in the research, measurement, and advertising ecosystem, we’ll provide the knowledge needed to stay ahead of the curve on consumer trends and the new instruments helping brands connect with their audiences in relevant, measurable, and repeatable ways.”
Christina Chung serves as VP of business operations for MediaCo Holding, Inc., overseeing digital operating infrastructure and ensuring both process efficiencies and revenue generation effectiveness. She has been instrumental in launching the ad and product tech stack solutions, establishing data-driven business intelligence, and selecting and curating numerous vendor integrations critical for monetizing a rapidly growing multi-platform business. Chung previously held leadership account and solutions engineering positions at Freewheel. She also has a background in private equity and investment banking. Chung was named to NYC TV Week’s 40 Under 40 list in 2023.
Mark Loughney is senior consultant at Hub Entertainment Research. He is a media executive and industry leader with more than 25 years of experience in consumer insights and media measurement who has worked to bring a deeper understanding of the value of advertising in video media, content development, branding and strategic positioning of media properties, and the effects of new technology adoption on media consumption. Previously, Loughney has held leadership positions at Warner Bros. Discovery, The Walt Disney Company, Nielsen, and Paramount. He is a graduate of Seton Hall University (B.A. in psychology) and Rutgers University (Ph.D. in social psychology).
“Continued improvements in measurement will be critical in sustaining and building upon the last several years of growth in CTV advertising revenue,” Loughney believes. “Buyers and sellers will need to demonstrate the advantages in efficiency and effectiveness CTV platforms deliver. In particular, valid and reliable metrics for cross platform and cross device reach will be vital to proving the value of CTV advertising in an increasingly fragmented video ecosystem.”
Nathalie Bordes is strategic advisor at Swerve Sports, principal of Nathbor LLC, and a recognized leader in data, AI, analytics, and media measurement. As former EVP of data and analytics at Yahoo, where she led 200 data scientists, analytics, researchers, and data engineers, and as operational leader of the ANA’s industry-defining Cross-Media Measurement initiative, she has influenced how major platforms, TV networks, and marketers measure and monetize audiences. Bordes served on the Media Rating Council board of directors, serves actively on the strategic advisory board of Swerve Sports, and advises organizations navigating AI integration, streaming ecosystem dynamics, and data transformation across media, technology, and advertising markets.
“CTV uniquely enables ‘Brand & Performance’ measurement and therefore simultaneously delivers upper-funnel brand building and lower-funnel performance outcomes. This duo is exciting but also extremely complex, which our panel will explore,” Bordes notes.
“What concerns me most? I’m still observing the industry’s rush to outcomes measurement without properly establishing ad exposure. You can’t prove impact without first confirming delivery; it’s like claiming a medicine works without verifying the patient took it. CTV’s fragmented ecosystem demands cross-platform, privacy-compliant measurement infrastructure, but instead, many platforms maintain proprietary systems. Advertisers are forced to synchronize across multiple frameworks just to assess whether campaigns met objectives,” she continues. “The consequences extend beyond measurement inefficiency: audiences experience ad overload, targeting failures, data privacy concerns, and no control over their ad experience. We all have seen the increase in ad block usage and increased ad free subscriptions for those who can afford it. Nevertheless, the momentum is undeniable. About 70% of U.S. households own CTV devices, approximately $30 billion in ad spending flows to the channel annually, and budget migration continues accelerating. The question is: Can measurement keep up?”
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