The news: Cinema led Q4 2025 with the highest attention metric (AU) scores, but the real battle is happening in the living room. 

YouTube maintained TV-like attention levels quarter over quarter, outperforming linear TV and slightly edging out connected TV (CTV) globally, according to our Industry KPI data provided by Adelaide. 

• YouTube AU performance (64.3 out of a possible 100) keeps it squarely within the premium tier, reinforcing its position as a rival to linear TV (53.9) and CTV (63.4).
• The figures reflect a trend in viewer engagement. YouTube is no longer just a social video platform—it’s competing directly with premium video environments. 

Behind the numbers: The data from Adelaide highlights the attention hierarchy across video platforms globally and positions YouTube differently heading into 2026 Upfront conversations. 

• As Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ continue scaling their ad-supported tiers, competition for premium video budgets is intensifying. 
• YouTube’s ability to edge past CTV attention at performance-driven scale strengthens its argument for a bigger slice of traditional TV budgets.

Only 30% of viewable digital ads are actually looked at—meaning 70% of ad spend goes to impressions that render but capture no attention, per Lumen. That gap explains why advertisers now treat viewability as a “gateway” metric and attention as the true measure of performance.

Implications for marketers: While cinema remains the gold standard for peak attention, the takeaway is clear—YouTube is a key part of the premium video conversation.

For advertisers, the smartest approach is to treat YouTube as a complement to—not a substitute for—CTV and linear, but one that earns TV-level consideration. YouTube’s advantage is that it now offers the attention environment of premium television with the targeting and interactivity of digital. 

Marketers should allocate budget accordingly: cinema for immersive impact, CTV for lean-back scale, and YouTube for attention-driven performance in the living room and on personal devices. The lines between platforms are blurring—budget strategies should follow suit.

Go deeper: Want more attention benchmarking data? PRO+ subscribers have access to Industry KPIs, our collection of more than 400 benchmarks in marketing and retail and ecommerce across a range of industries and countries. Click here for more information.