OTT (Over-The-Top) is bought on CPM only, averaging $37.80. TikTok Ads is bought on CPM only, averaging $12.15. Analysis for Japan in 2026.
Japan is Asia's largest mature digital ad market and one of the most expensive globally — CPMs run roughly 35% above US baselines. It is also structurally different from Western markets in ways that catch newcomers out repeatedly. Yahoo! Japan retains meaningful search share alongside Google. LINE is the dominant messaging platform and a serious ad channel, not a niche play. Display ad creative norms favor higher information density and louder visual treatments than Western markets. Japanese-language creative is non-negotiable — direct English translations consistently fail. Mobile-first behavior is universal, and the Japanese commerce funnel typically involves longer consideration phases and more comparison-shopping touchpoints than US equivalents. APPI (Act on Protection of Personal Information) governs privacy and was amended significantly in 2022.
Connected TV and streaming platforms (Hulu, Roku, etc.)
Short-form video advertising on TikTok
The auction, the creative, the budget floor — the three things you actually need to know before picking a platform.
OTT (Hulu, Peacock, Roku, Samsung TV+, etc.) is bought exclusively on CPM with 15- and 30-second video creative. Rates run $25–40 CPM — the highest of any digital channel — because inventory is finite premium video and the ROAS story is measured against linear TV, not against Facebook.
15s or 30s video, 1920×1080 (16:9), broadcast-quality mastering. No skippable formats. Most platforms require closed captions and mezzanine-file delivery through demand-side platforms.
OTT has a real budget floor: most DSPs require $5K–10K/month minimum, and to reach reliable frequency in a metro DMA you need $15K+/month per platform.
TikTok Ads runs on CPM ($8–12 typical, higher for premium placements like TopView). CPC is available but the platform's optimization heavily favors CPM-bid campaigns. Auction density is lower than Meta but growing quickly; creative quality dominates.
9:16 vertical video (1080×1920), 9-60s (best performance 15-30s), native-feeling — polished ads underperform UGC-style creative here by 2-3x. Sound-on is standard. Captions optional but boost completion.
$500/day ($15K/month) is the practical floor for the Traffic and Conversion objectives to exit learning phase in a reasonable window. Smaller budgets work for Awareness and Video View goals.