Test, Prove, Scale: A Data-Driven Shift to CPA-Based CTV with tvScientific and RealTruck

The Challenge

RealTruck believed connected TV could function as a genuine performance channel, but needed data to prove it before committing to scale. CTV had historically been treated as an impression-based awareness channel, with limited ability to tie investment directly to measurable commercial outcomes. The challenge was to establish whether CTV could drive incremental revenue at an acceptable ROAS, and to do so in a way that gave the team confidence before expanding nationally.

The Strategy

The team designed a test-first approach, launching with a geo-incrementality test across seven states to establish a credible baseline before any decision to scale. tvScientific, Measured, and Tombras worked together to create the testing framework, with the explicit goal of validating incrementality before transitioning to tvScientific's CPA buying model. This meant the decision to scale nationally was grounded in evidence rather than assumption.

The Work

The geo-incrementality test ran across seven states over six weeks. Once incrementality was validated, the team transitioned to CPA-based buying and expanded nationwide, turning a channel traditionally purchased on CPM into one held to direct performance accountability. The three-phase approach, test, validate, and scale, gave each stage a clear purpose and ensured the commercial case was built on solid foundations.

Results

The initial six-week test generated more than $70,000 in revenue from 159 purchases at a 3.52x ROAS, peaking at 4.36x in the final week. Within eight days of transitioning to the CPA model, the campaign drove almost $30,000 in revenue at a 25x ROAS. Since November 2025, the campaign has generated more than $2.2 million in revenue while maintaining the 25x ROAS.

The Judges' Verdict

Judges described this as a best-in-class example of using data to transform a traditionally upper-funnel channel into a measurable performance driver, praising the discipline of the test-first approach and the rigour of the incrementality validation. The transition from a five-figure test to a seven-figure revenue engine was highlighted as a compelling demonstration of what a data-driven methodology can achieve. A clinical and impressive piece of work.

"A great example of data-driven marketing because it de-risks a traditionally expensive CTV channel. The partnership turned a five-figure test into a seven-figure revenue engine with clinical precision."