This post explains why gen z loves vertical video ads more than tv in detail and why it matters for businesses today.
%402x.svg){kind=icon}
The living room, once the undisputed epicenter of family entertainment, has undergone a quiet but profound revolution. The glow of the monolithic television screen, which commanded collective attention for decades, has been supplanted by the intimate, personal illumination of a smartphone. For Generation Z—the first true cohort of digital natives born between 1997 and 2012—this shift is not merely a change of device; it is a fundamental rewiring of visual consumption, social interaction, and aesthetic preference. The sprawling, horizontal vistas of traditional television and cinema feel increasingly alien to a generation that has been raised on a diet of vertical, scrollable, and snackable video content. This is not a passive audience being marketed to; it is an active community engaging with content on its own terms. In this new landscape, the 30-second television commercial, once the gold standard of mass-market advertising, now feels as anachronistic as a radio jingle. In its place, the vertical video ad has emerged as the dominant, and decidedly more effective, medium for capturing the hearts, minds, and wallets of Gen Z. This deep dive explores the intricate tapestry of technological, psychological, and cultural forces that have made vertical video not just a format, but a language that Gen Z speaks fluently.
To understand Gen Z's preference for vertical video, one must first acknowledge that their relationship with technology is not one of adoption, but of integration. Unlike previous generations who remember a time before the internet, for Gen Z, a connected world is the only world they have ever known. The smartphone is not merely a tool; it is a primary sensory organ—an extension of the self that facilitates social connection, identity formation, entertainment, and education. This device-centric existence has fundamentally shaped their cognitive and behavioral patterns, creating a user experience (UX) paradigm where verticality is the default.
The ergonomics of this relationship are critical. A smartphone is designed to be held vertically. From unlocking the device and scrolling through social feeds to texting and reading articles, the primary axis of interaction is up-and-down. Rotating the device to landscape mode is a conscious, deliberate action—a barrier to the seamless, frictionless experience this generation demands. Vertical video ads respect this natural posture. They fill the screen completely, eliminating the intrusive black bars of letterboxed horizontal videos and creating a more immersive, visually cohesive experience. This is not a minor UX tweak; it is a fundamental alignment with the core hardware interface. When an ad feels native to the platform and the device, it ceases to be an interruption and becomes part of the content flow.
This stands in stark contrast to the television experience. TV is a lean-back, appointment-based medium. It demands a scheduled time, a specific location (the living room), and often, a shared viewing experience. For Gen Z, this feels restrictive. Their media consumption is lean-in, on-demand, and profoundly personal. It happens in the gaps of life—during a commute, between classes, or late at night in bed. The smartphone offers a portal to a personalized universe, and vertical video is the native art form of that universe. A TV ad, no matter how clever, is an island of broadcast content in a sea of personalized streams. It cannot leverage the same level of intimate engagement because the context itself is inherently less personal and more fragmented.
Furthermore, the very nature of attention has changed. The television remote allowed for channel surfing, but the smartphone touchscreen enables a far more rapid and ruthless form of content triage: the scroll. The thumb flick is a powerful gesture of curation and dismissal. In this high-velocity environment, a vertical video ad that captures attention within the first crucial one to three seconds has a fighting chance. A horizontal video, by forcing a user to stop and rotate their device, introduces a moment of friction that is often fatal to engagement. In the economy of attention, friction is the ultimate tax, and Gen Z is notoriously unwilling to pay it.
The immersion of a vertical, full-screen video cannot be overstated. By occupying the entire field of vision on the device, it creates a sense of direct connection between the creator and the viewer. There are no browser tabs, no notification bars, no competing visual elements—just the content. This focused environment mimics the feeling of a one-on-one conversation, a dynamic that is highly valued by a generation that prioritizes authenticity and direct communication. This is why the most successful vertical video ads often feel less like corporate broadcasts and more like a DM from a friend—raw, immediate, and personal.
“The screen is no longer a window into a world, but a world in itself. Vertical video is the architecture of that world, and it’s built for a single occupant.” - Digital Media Analyst
This architectural shift from the communal hearth of the TV to the personal window of the phone has redefined storytelling. Narrative techniques have evolved from long, complex arcs to quick, impactful moments. The language of vertical video is built on rapid cuts, dynamic text overlays, and a pervasive sense of urgency—all designed to deliver maximum emotional or informational payload in a minimal amount of time. For brands, this means that the ability to tell a compelling micro-story is now more valuable than the budget to produce a cinematic mini-movie.
If the smartphone is the hardware, then the algorithm is the operating system of Gen Z's media life. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are not passive containers for content; they are active, intelligent curators that learn and adapt to individual user preferences with terrifying accuracy. This represents a paradigm shift from the broadcast model of television, where a handful of network executives decided what millions of people would watch at a given time. For Gen Z, the algorithm is a trusted, if not entirely understood, personal assistant that delivers a bespoke stream of entertainment.
Vertical video ads thrive within this algorithmic ecosystem. Their success is not dependent on a massive media buy during a prime-time slot, but on their inherent "watchability" and shareability. The algorithms of social platforms are designed to reward content that generates high engagement—measured in completion rates, likes, shares, comments, and, most importantly, re-watches. A well-crafted vertical ad that resonates with a specific niche can be amplified by the algorithm to reach a highly targeted, pre-qualified audience at a fraction of the cost of a TV campaign. This is performance marketing at its most potent.
Consider the discovery process. On television, ad discovery is non-existent; it is forced upon the viewer. On a social feed, discovery is the entire point. Users are actively hunting for the next piece of content that will surprise, delight, or inform them. A vertical video ad that is entertaining or valuable in its own right can be discovered organically. It can trend on a platform, be shared in private group chats, or be remixed by users in a form of co-creation that is utterly impossible with a TV commercial. This transforms the ad from a brand monologue into a cultural conversation. The role of precise music synchronization and trending audio is critical here, as it signals to both the algorithm and the user that the content is current and part of a larger cultural moment.
This system also creates a powerful feedback loop that television can never replicate. The performance of a vertical video ad is instantly measurable. Brands can see in real-time how long viewers are watching, where they are dropping off, and what actions they are taking. This data is then fed back into the creative process, allowing for rapid iteration and optimization. Was the hook not strong enough? Did the pace lag in the middle? This data-driven approach to creative is anathema to the traditional, intuition-based world of TV advertising, where a commercial is produced, aired, and its impact gauged through much slower, less precise brand lift studies.
The implications for editing and pacing are profound. Editors are no longer just cutting for story; they are cutting for the algorithm. They must engineer videos to maximize retention from the very first frame, understanding that the algorithm's primary goal is to keep users on the platform. A video that holds attention for its entire duration is rewarded with greater distribution, making the editor's role one of the most crucial in the entire vertical video value chain.
Gen Z possesses a highly sophisticated, and often cynical, "marketing radar." They have been exposed to advertising since birth and are adept at filtering out messages that feel corporate, disingenuous, or overly produced. This has catalyzed a seismic shift in aesthetic preference, away from the high-gloss, airbrushed perfection of traditional advertising and toward a style that is raw, real, and relatable. Vertical video is the native format for this new aesthetic of authenticity.
The technical qualities of smartphone-shot vertical video contribute directly to this perception. The slightly shaky camera work, the natural lighting, the direct-to-camera address—all of these elements code the content as "real." This is the visual language of user-generated content (UGC), which Gen Z trusts implicitly. When a brand adopts this language for its ads, it is borrowing that trust. It signals that the brand is not talking down to its audience from a corporate ivory tower, but is instead meeting them on their level, in their digital space, and speaking their language.
This stands in direct opposition to the aesthetic of television advertising. TV commercials are typically the product of large crews, expensive equipment, and extensive post-production. The result is often visually stunning but emotionally sterile. To a Gen Z viewer, this polish can read as inauthenticity. It feels like a performance, not a conversation. The prevalence of AI-assisted editing tools and accessible software has further democratized content creation, blurring the lines between professional and amateur production and raising the audience's expectation for genuine human connection over technical flawlessness.
This craving for authenticity also manifests in the content of the ads themselves. Gen Z responds to narratives that reflect their own lived experiences—the anxieties, the joys, the humor, and the mundanity of everyday life. They prefer to see "people like me" rather than unattainable celebrities. A vertical video ad showcasing a customer's unboxing experience, a behind-the-scenes look at a company's mission, or an employee telling a genuine story is far more likely to resonate than a scripted, celebrity-endorsed TV spot. This is why editing styles that capture genuine moments and emotions, such as those found in event highlight reels, are so effective when translated into an advertising context.
The ultimate expression of this authenticity is the creator-led vertical video ad. Instead of producing an ad in-house, brands partner with social media creators who have built trusted, loyal communities. These creators then present the brand's product or message to their audience in their own unique style. The ad is often indistinguishable from their regular content, making the promotion feel like a genuine recommendation from a trusted friend. This model effectively outsources authenticity to a credible third party. The creator's sophisticated understanding of meme culture and viral editing techniques ensures the ad is not just authentic, but also culturally relevant and technically optimized for the platform. This is a level of nuanced integration that a traditional 30-second TV spot simply cannot achieve.
Television is a one-way street. Content is broadcast out, and the viewer's role is to receive it. For Gen Z, this passive model is insufficient. Having grown up with interactive digital experiences—from video games to social media platforms—they expect to be able to engage, react, and participate. Vertical video ads are built for this interactivity, transforming the advertising experience from a monologue into a dialogue.
The most direct form of this is the interactive features baked into the platforms themselves. Polls, quizzes, sliders, and Q&A stickers can be integrated directly into vertical video ads, inviting the viewer to take an action beyond just watching. A makeup brand can run a poll asking "Which shade should we launch next?" A sports brand can use a quiz to test viewers' knowledge. These micro-interactions dramatically increase engagement time and foster a sense of co-creation, making the viewer feel like they are part of the brand's journey.
Furthermore, the very structure of vertical video platforms encourages a participatory culture. The "duet" and "stitch" features on TikTok allow users to directly respond to or build upon an original video. A clever vertical ad can spark a trend, challenging users to duet with the ad, use a specific sound, or participate in a branded hashtag challenge. This turns the ad into a seed for a massive, user-generated content campaign. The brand provides the initial creative spark, and the audience provides the fuel, creating a wildfire of organic reach and engagement. This is a marketer's dream: an ad that people not only watch but actively choose to be in. The editing of the original ad is crucial here; it must be simple and replicable, providing a clear template for users to follow, a concept explored in depth in our analysis of why TikTok editing styles are becoming mainstream.
This stands in absolute contrast to the TV commercial, which is a finished, immutable artifact. There is no way to "stitch" a 30-second spot for a car insurance company. There is no poll to take. The experience begins and ends with the broadcast. For a generation that expresses itself through digital interaction, this feels static and limiting. The vertical video ad, by its very nature, is dynamic and malleable. It is the beginning of a conversation, not the final word.
The "scroll" is the defining gesture of modern mobile media consumption. It is a continuous, rapid, and often subconscious action through a bottomless feed of content. This environment has created a unique psychological state in the user—a blend of anticipation, curiosity, and a remarkably low tolerance for boredom. Winning attention here requires a deep understanding of the cognitive principles at play, principles that vertical video ads are uniquely equipped to leverage.
First and foremost is the concept of the "hook." In a scroll-based feed, you have less than three seconds to convince a user not to swipe past your content. The hook of a vertical video ad must be instantaneous and visceral. This is often achieved through a compelling visual mystery, a surprising auditory cue, or bold, on-screen text that poses a provocative question. This immediate grab is something TV ads, with their slower, more cinematic builds, rarely prioritize. The science behind this is clear; as discussed in our piece on the psychology of editing for viewer retention, the brain makes a split-second decision to commit its attention, and that decision is based on the promise of an immediate payoff.
Once the hook has landed, the ad must then deploy a series of "retention spikes" to maintain attention until the end. This is where the frenetic, high-energy editing style synonymous with platforms like TikTok comes into play. Rapid cuts, quick zooms, on-screen text that appears and disappears, and sudden changes in music or sound effects all serve to constantly re-engage the viewer's brain, preventing the onset of scroll-inducing boredom. The pacing is not dictated by a traditional narrative arc, but by a neurological map of attention spans.
Another critical psychological factor is sound design. While subtitles are critical for reach in sound-off environments, the strategic use of sound is equally powerful. A trending audio track does more than just provide background music; it acts as a cultural signifier. When a user hears a sound they recognize from other viral videos, it creates a sense of familiarity and cultural belonging. The brain is primed to enjoy the content because it is part of a known, and often beloved, trend. A TV ad's jingle exists in a vacuum; a vertical ad's sound exists within a vast, interconnected sonic ecosystem.
“The scroll is a stream of consciousness, and your ad is a single thought. It must be so compelling, so unexpected, or so useful that it breaks the user from their trance.” - Behavioral Scientist specializing in Digital Media
This high-velocity environment also rewards brevity and density of information. The most effective vertical videos are often between 15 and 30 seconds long, but they pack a tremendous amount of information into that window through visual shorthand and editing techniques. This respects the viewer's time and intelligence, delivering a complete idea or emotion in a compact package. The TV commercial's 30-second duration, by comparison, can feel languid and inefficient to a generation conditioned to process information at the speed of a scroll.
Perhaps the most profound cultural shift underpinning Gen Z's love for vertical video is the democratization of storytelling itself. For decades, the power to create and distribute video content on a mass scale was held by a select few: television networks, movie studios, and later, large-scale production companies. The barrier to entry was immense, requiring access to expensive equipment, specialized skills, and distribution channels. The smartphone and social media have shattered this gatekeeper model.
Today, anyone with a smartphone and a creative idea can become a broadcaster. The tools for shooting, editing, and adding sophisticated effects are built into the device itself or available through a burgeoning ecosystem of freelance editors and accessible apps. This has led to an explosion of user-generated content (UGC), which forms the bedrock of platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Gen Z doesn't just consume this UGC; they create it. They are active participants in the culture, not passive observers of it.
The "For You" Page (FYP) on TikTok is the ultimate symbol of this democratization. It is a truly meritocratic platform where a video from a complete unknown can, based purely on its engagement metrics, achieve the same viral distribution as a video from a global celebrity. This flattens the media hierarchy and creates a culture that values creativity and relatability over production budget and fame. A vertical video ad that successfully mimics the style and spirit of UGC can land on a user's FYP and be judged by the same standards as the content from their favorite creators. If it's good, it will be accepted. If it feels like an ad, it will be rejected.
This has forced brands to cede a degree of control. The perfectly manicured brand message is less effective than the messy, human, and sometimes imperfect story. The most successful brands in this space are those that empower their communities to tell their stories for them. They run campaigns that encourage UGC, featuring customer videos on their own channels. They understand that a testimonial from a peer is infinitely more powerful than a scripted line from an actor. This aligns perfectly with the core ethos of vertical video platforms: that everyone has a story to tell, and everyone deserves a chance to be heard.
The impact on the advertising industry is seismic. The traditional agency model, built around large-budget, long-lead-time TV campaigns, is being challenged by a more agile, creator-centric approach. Brands are increasingly hiring freelance editors and direct-to-brand creators who live and breathe the culture of these platforms. These creators bring an innate understanding of what works, from the specific editing transitions that are currently trending to the optimal placement of a product within a narrative. They are the translators between the old world of brand marketing and the new world of community-driven engagement.
This democratization extends to the very definition of an "ad." For Gen Z, an ad is no longer just a paid spot that interrupts their content. An ad can be a useful life hack from a brand, a genuinely funny skit, a touching mini-documentary, or a stunning piece of visual art. As long as it provides value—whether that value is entertainment, information, or inspiration—the commercial intent is forgiven, and often, appreciated. The vertical video format, born from the grassroots of user-generated content, is the perfect vessel for this new, value-first definition of advertising.
The preference for vertical video is not merely a cultural or technological artifact; it is rooted in the very way the human brain, particularly the developing brain of a digital native, processes information. The neurological advantage of the vertical format provides a compelling explanation for its intuitive appeal and superior engagement metrics compared to traditional horizontal media. This isn't just about what Gen Z prefers; it's about how their cognitive architecture is best served.
Human vision is naturally oriented within a vertical field of view. We perceive the world in a panoramic format, but our focus and attention are often directed centrally and vertically—scanning a person's face from head to toe, looking up and down a street, or reading a book. This vertical bias is amplified on a smartphone, where the device becomes a surrogate for direct interpersonal interaction. When a vertical video ad features a person speaking directly to the camera, it closely mimics the real-life experience of a face-to-face conversation. The subject's face and upper body occupy the entire screen, creating a powerful sense of social presence and connection. This triggers neural mechanisms associated with social engagement and empathy, making the message more memorable and persuasive. A study on media psychology suggests that this "para-social" interaction—the one-sided feeling of a relationship with a media figure—is intensified in the vertical format, fostering a stronger sense of familiarity and trust.
Furthermore, the cognitive load required to process a vertical video is significantly lower than that of a horizontal one on a mobile device. A horizontal video forces the brain to perform a series of micro-adjustments: it must parse the central content while actively ignoring the distracting, irrelevant black bars on either side. This creates a slight but constant cognitive tax. A vertical video, filling the screen, eliminates this extraneous load. The information is presented in a clean, focused stream, allowing cognitive resources to be dedicated entirely to comprehension and emotional response rather than visual filtering. This aligns with the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, which posits that learning and engagement are optimized when extraneous processing is minimized. The efficiency of this format is a perfect match for a generation that multitasks across several apps simultaneously, valuing cognitive ease and rapid information uptake.
The rapid-fire editing synonymous with viral vertical videos—often featuring cuts every one to two seconds—is not arbitrary; it is neurologically stimulating. This pace closely mirrors the natural saccadic rhythms of the human eye, which darts from point to point in quick, sharp movements. This constant visual refreshment prevents habituation—the neurological process where a constant stimulus is gradually ignored. By presenting new visual information at a rate that matches or slightly exceeds the brain's own sampling rate, these videos maintain a state of heightened alertness and engagement. This technique, a cornerstone of TikTok editing styles, is a direct application of neurological principles to maximize viewer retention. It creates a compelling rhythm that makes disengaging feel cognitively dissonant, as if breaking a satisfying pattern.
“The vertical scroll is a continuous stream of cognitive rewards. Each new video is a potential dopamine hit, and the format that minimizes processing effort while maximizing social and emotional payoff will always win.” - Dr. Anya Sharma, Cognitive Neuroscientist
This neurological efficiency extends to memory encoding. The combination of a low cognitive load, high social presence, and stimulating pace creates ideal conditions for the brain to encode information into working and long-term memory. A key finding in a report by the National Eye Institute on visual processing indicates that focused, central vision is critical for detail recognition and memory. Vertical video, by centering its subject and action, leverages this foveal vision directly, making brand logos, product details, and key messages more likely to be remembered than when they are positioned within a wide, complex horizontal scene where the viewer's attention might be drawn to peripheral, irrelevant details.
In the world of television advertising, the creative process was largely linear and intuition-based: concept, storyboard, production, broadcast, and then, weeks or months later, a post-campaign analysis to gauge effectiveness. For Gen Z-focused vertical video, this model is obsolete. It has been replaced by a dynamic, data-driven creative loop where creation, distribution, and optimization happen concurrently and in perpetuity. This agile methodology is a fundamental reason why vertical video ads can achieve a level of cultural relevance and performance that TV spots can only dream of.
The engine of this loop is the immense amount of real-time, granular data provided by social platforms. Marketers are no longer flying blind. For every vertical video ad, they have immediate access to a dashboard of metrics that goes far beyond simple view counts. They can analyze:
This data is not just for reporting; it is a creative fuel. A brand can launch five different variations of an ad (A/B testing on steroids), each with a different hook, a different piece of music, or a different call-to-action. Within hours, the data will reveal a clear winner. The losing variations are killed, and the winning version is allocated more ad spend. But the process doesn't stop there. The team can then create new iterations based on the winning ad's structure, constantly refining the message and creative for peak performance. This is why good editing is non-negotiable for growth; it must be an iterative, data-informed skill.
This stands in stark contrast to the TV model. A multi-million dollar TV commercial is produced based on pre-testing with focus groups—a small, often unrepresentative sample in an artificial environment. Once it airs, there is no way to change it. If the ad fails to connect, the money is spent, and the brand must wait for the next quarterly campaign to try again. There is no opportunity for real-time course correction. In the fast-moving cultural landscape inhabited by Gen Z, an ad that feels two months old is practically a historical artifact. The data-driven loop of vertical video ensures that ads remain perpetually fresh, relevant, and optimized for the current moment.
This shift has transformed the role of the advertiser from a "creative genius" who relies on gut instinct to a "creative scientist" who formulates hypotheses and tests them with data. The most successful social media marketers are not just artists; they are analysts. They understand that a compelling hook is not a matter of opinion but a measurable reality reflected in the retention graph. They know that the choice between two edits can be decisively settled by the save rate. This scientific approach to creativity demystifies the process of making viral content and makes it a repeatable, scalable operation. It empowers freelance editors and specialized agencies to prove their value with concrete metrics, not just a flashy reel.
Traditional advertising has always struggled with the "last-mile problem"—the gap between building brand awareness and driving a concrete, measurable action. A memorable TV commercial might make a viewer smile, but it does little to compel them to get off the couch, find their laptop, and search for the product. The conversion path is long, fragmented, and riddled with friction. Vertical video ads, by contrast, are engineered to create a frictionless funnel where discovery, consideration, and conversion can happen within a single, seamless user experience.
The magic lies in the native features of social platforms. The "Swipe Up" feature on Instagram Stories or the easily tappable "Shop Now" button overlay on TikTok and Reels are game-changers. They transform a passive viewing experience into an immediate point of action. A Gen Z viewer can be watching a 15-second ad for a new clothing line, see an item they like, and with a single tap, be taken directly to the product page to make a purchase. This journey from ad to checkout can take less than 30 seconds, a velocity that is unimaginable in any other media format. This drastically shortens the sales cycle and provides an unambiguous return on ad spend (ROAS).
This frictionless model is perfectly aligned with Gen Z's consumer behavior. This is a generation that has grown up with one-click ordering from Amazon and instant gratification from on-demand services. Their patience for multi-step processes is minimal. A vertical video ad that requires them to "visit our website in the description below" or "remember our promo code" introduces fatal friction. The most effective ads make the desired action an integral, effortless part of the content consumption flow. This principle applies not just to sales, but to any conversion goal—downloading an app, signing up for a newsletter, or booking a demo. The action is baked directly into the ad unit itself.
Furthermore, the funnel is often layered and sophisticated. A brand might run a top-of-funnel vertical ad designed purely for entertainment and brand awareness. The algorithm then allows them to retarget every user who watched that video (or better yet, watched 95% of it) with a more direct, product-focused ad featuring a "Shop Now" button. This creates a warm, qualified audience that is already familiar with the brand's tone and aesthetic, dramatically increasing the likelihood of conversion. This level of funnel orchestration and retargeting precision is completely beyond the capabilities of television advertising.
The role of precise and compelling editing is crucial in driving this action. The edit must build desire and urgency, culminating in a clear and compelling call-to-action that feels like a natural conclusion to the video's narrative. The best editors understand that their job isn't finished when the story is told; it's finished when the viewer is motivated to act.
To think of vertical video ads as merely "shorter TV commercials" is to misunderstand their fundamental nature and potential. The vertical format has given rise to a diverse and versatile ecosystem of ad types, each with its own strengths and use cases, far surpassing the one-size-fits-all approach of the 30-second TV spot. This versatility allows brands to engage with Gen Z in a multitude of ways, tailoring their message and goal to the specific context of the platform and the user's mindset.
1. The In-Feed Ad: This is the most common form, designed to look and feel like native organic content. It appears in a user's endless scroll and must earn attention. Success hinges on a killer hook and value-driven content, whether that value is entertainment, information, or inspiration. The editing here is paramount, often leveraging the styles popularized by top creators to blend in seamlessly.
2. Story Ads (Full-Screen Immersive): Appearing in the "Stories" format on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, these are full-screen, ephemeral (lasting 24 hours), and designed for maximum visual impact. They often use interactive polls, quizzes, and sliders to boost engagement. The vertical aspect is absolute here, and the synchronization of music and visual beats is critical for creating a memorable, immersive experience.
3. Spark Ads (TikTok): A revolutionary format that allows brands to "spark" or promote an organic post from a creator or even another user (with permission). This is the ultimate authenticity hack. The ad carries the handle of the original creator, lending it immense credibility and social proof. It’s a powerful demonstration of a brand trusting a creator's content enough to put its media budget behind it.
4. Branded Effects & Filters: Moving beyond video, these are interactive AR (Augmented Reality) experiences—lenses, filters, and effects—that users can apply to their own content. A makeup brand can create a filter that lets users virtually try on lipstick shades; a movie studio can create a lens that transports users into the film's universe. This is advertising as an experience and a utility, generating massive organic uptake and UGC.
5. Vertical Video for CTV (Connected TV): As streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube on smart TVs become the new "TV," the vertical video aesthetic is making a surprising crossover. While the screen is horizontal, the ad pods are increasingly filled with repurposed mobile-first vertical videos, often presented with creative vertical-to-horizontal adaptations. This ensures a consistent brand message across the entire consumer journey, from phone to big screen.
“The future of video advertising isn't a single format. It's a fluid, adaptive system where the same core creative asset can be dynamically resized, re-edited, and redeployed across dozens of contexts, from a smartphone Stories feed to a billboard in Times Square.” - Maria Chen, Head of Video Strategy at a Global Media Agency
This versatility demands a new approach to production. Instead of producing one single, high-cost "hero" asset, forward-thinking brands are creating a "master vertical video" and then using AI tools and agile editing workflows to rapidly spin out multiple cut-downs, adaptations, and iterations tailored for each specific format and platform. This asset-light, iteration-heavy model is the antithesis of the traditional TV commercial production process.
The cultural and technological momentum behind vertical video is so powerful that its influence is now flowing upstream, fundamentally altering the aesthetics and strategies of the very medium it is displacing: television. This is not a story of replacement alone, but of convergence. The language of vertical video—its pace, its intimacy, its authenticity—is becoming the new visual lingua franca, and traditional media has no choice but to adapt.
This convergence is most evident in the content produced by traditional studios and networks for streaming platforms. Shows and movies are increasingly incorporating visual techniques that feel native to a generation raised on TikTok. Quick cuts, direct-to-camera addresses (breaking the fourth wall), and the use of text overlays and split-screens are becoming more common. These techniques, once considered gauche or overly "MTV," are now being used to hold the attention of an audience with a diminished patience for slow-burn narratives. The pacing of entire shows has accelerated, with pilots often designed to hook viewers in the first few minutes, mirroring the three-second hook of a successful vertical video.
Even the advertising within these TV shows is changing. As audiences migrate from linear TV to ad-supported streaming platforms (AVOD), the ad experience is being rethought. The unskippable 30-second pre-roll ad on a platform like YouTube or Hulu is a direct descendant of the TV commercial, but it exists in a digital context. Savvy advertisers are now creating shorter, more punchy 15-second versions of their ads specifically for these environments, applying the lessons of vertical video to a horizontal format. The imperative for a strong opening is the same; only the aspect ratio has changed.
Perhaps the most telling sign of convergence is the phenomenon of content "leap-frogging" from phone to TV. A viral vertical video series or meme born on TikTok can gain such cultural currency that it gets optioned for a TV series or movie. The creators themselves are being hired by studios to bring their innate understanding of viral aesthetics to mainstream productions. This legitimizes the vertical video format as not just a marketing tool, but a source of genuine creative innovation and IP generation. The editors who master the art of capturing attention in short bursts are suddenly finding their skills in high demand across the entire media landscape.
According to a Nielsen report on redefined viewing habits, even live sports broadcasts—long the bastion of traditional TV—are adapting. Broadcasts now commonly incorporate a "vertical feed" or "mobile view" that is optimized for smartphones, recognizing that a significant portion of their audience is second-screening or watching exclusively on mobile devices. The broadcast itself is being re-edited in real-time to provide vertical-friendly clips for social media, ensuring the conversation continues online. This is a profound admission: the future of viewing is multi-format, and the vertical, mobile-first experience is now a primary consideration, not an afterthought.
The relationship is no longer a one-way street where TV dictates culture and digital follows. It is a symbiotic loop. A moment from a TV show becomes a meme on TikTok, which drives viewership back to the TV show, which then inspires more memes. In this loop, the vertical video ad is the agile, data-informed vessel that can navigate this complex ecosystem, connecting with audiences on their preferred platform and driving them to the desired destination, whether that's a product page, a website, or the next episode of a show on a streaming service.
No, the evidence suggests it's a permanent shift in visual language. The dominance of the smartphone as the primary media device is not a trend; it's a settled reality. As long as the primary interface for a generation is a vertically-held screen, the preference for content that fits that interface natively will remain. The format is evolving and becoming more sophisticated, not fading away.
This is a common misconception. "Authentic" does not mean "low quality." Premium is no longer defined solely by high-production gloss; it's defined by value, craftsmanship, and connection. Brands like Louis Vuitton, Apple, and BMW have successfully adopted vertical video, focusing on stunning cinematography, clever editing, and high-value storytelling that respects the format. It's about translating your premium qualities into a new language, not dumbing them down. Working with skilled professionals who understand the nuances of quality editing in this space is key.
The ROI for vertical video is often far more direct and measurable. While TV relies on indirect metrics like brand lift studies and correlating sales spikes, vertical video provides direct metrics: cost per click (CPC), cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on ad spend (ROAS) from in-app conversions. You can track the entire customer journey from view to purchase. For brand-building campaigns, metrics like completion rate, engagement rate, and share rate provide a clear picture of resonance.
Absolutely. In fact, vertical video is a great equalizer. A small brand with a clever idea, a deep understanding of its niche community, and a talented freelance editor can create a viral ad that outperforms a multi-million dollar TV campaign in terms of engagement and even conversions within that specific audience. The barrier to entry is creativity and cultural insight, not capital.
Value in the first three seconds. You must immediately answer the viewer's unspoken question: "Why should I stop scrolling for you?" This value can be a surprising visual, a compelling question, a relatable problem, or a striking use of trending audio. Without a strong hook, the rest of the ad, no matter how well-produced, will never be seen.
