Streaming in Southeast Asia: Convergence, Divergence, and Opportunity for Global Brands

For global brands, Southeast Asia presents a compelling growth story, with consumer streaming behavior expanding rapidly. Southeast Asian audiences demonstrate a high tolerance for ads, cross-device engagement, and a cultural preference for shared viewing experiences. For advertisers, this means a relatively untapped opportunity to build meaningful connections, drive brand discovery, and convert intent into purchase—at scale.

Note: All stats are from Magnite Screens and Streams research, unless otherwise stated.

CTV as a Premium Growth Engine

Streaming is well-established in the US, and according to eMarketer, time spent with the medium will surpass linear for the first time this year. Southeast Asia’s streaming growth has taken a different direction, in some cases bypassing linear altogether, but the same thing is true across both regions – people are streaming now more than ever.

In Southeast Asia, mobile has dominated the streaming space. Among the Southeast Asian markets included in our Streams and Screens research (Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines), over 90% of viewers are streaming via their smartphones, while CTV usage remains around 70%. However, those relatively lower CTV stats are changing, providing a catalyst for investment.

Over 80% of consumers in all three Southeast Asian countries are increasing their streaming on CTV devices this year, using an average of 6+ different streaming services. Their openness to advertising also bodes well, with consumers willing to receive an average of 7-8 minutes of ads per hour.

High Ad Engagement and Cross-Device Amplification

According to YouGov, second-screening is fairly commonplace in Western markets such as the US (55% of adults) and the UK (55%), but it’s even more pronounced in Southeast Asia. The always-on nature of mobile behaviors in Southeast Asia, coupled with the growing usage of CTVs and high satisfaction with both as streaming channels, provides brands with opportunities for cross-device engagement for daylong touchpoints, not just primetime.

For example, 64% of streamers in Southeast Asia use a second screen while watching TV. Nearly half (48%) use it to shop online, while social media, messaging, and web browsing are also common second-screen activities. These habits highlight opportunities for advertisers to enhance discovery, build awareness and consideration, and drive immediate purchases. Ads shown across multiple devices also boost impact, with 81% of Southeast Asian viewers more likely to act on ads shown across devices.

Clearly, as this trend converges across countries, there’s an opportunity for brands to amplify ad impact through multiscreen strategies, linking ad exposures to immediate action – whether that’s discovery, consideration, or purchase.

Shared Viewing as a Value Multiplier

Shared Viewing = Extended Reach: One ad impression can influence multiple viewers in co-viewing households.

Co-viewing is popular in Southeast Asia and growing in parallel with the growth of connected TVs in shared home spaces, such as the living room. The Philippines and Indonesia both average four people for co-viewing, while Thailand sits at three. In addition to the incremental reach advantages, co-viewing makes ads more memorable, according to 71% of Southeast Asia viewers.

Glocalization and Cultural Resonance

Cultural resonance is highly rated in Southeast Asia, with approx 80% of adults in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand saying ads delivered in the same language as the content are more effective and feel more connected to ads aligned with local culture/content.

However, Southeast Asia provides a model of “glocalization” – balancing international hits with culturally rooted storytelling – that can deepen ad effectiveness. 86% of Filipino viewers prefer services offering both local and global content; Indonesians rate local content as most important at 86% with global at 82%; while 87% Thais prefer services offering both.

Receptiveness to Ad Innovations

Southeast Asia has embraced new ad formats, with awareness and engagement levels higher than in the EMEA markets Magnite has tested. According to Magnite’s Streams and Screens research, on average, 67% of Southeast Asian streamers are aware of actionable ad formats, and 74% say they would engage with them, whether that means scanning a QR code or clicking through to make a purchase. Emerging formats like pause ads (which appear when viewers stop playback) and tile ads (promotions embedded in the streaming home screen) show significant consumer familiarity and interaction potential, too.

These formats create a seamless loop between inspiration and action, providing a blueprint for creating effective ads that are seen as an extension of the viewing experience. For marketers, observing how Southeast Asian audiences engage with innovative new formats can help guide future strategy in their own regions and when investing in Southeast Asia.

Winning CTV in Southeast Asia

Research suggests that while there is convergence in the foundational aspects of streaming behavior, the growth rates – and the nature of growth – as well as cultural differences, provide food for thought. This means advertisers can think of the regions as aligned in trajectory but different in pace and flavor. The convergence provides confidence that strategies tested in the US will also work in SEA — but the divergence offers unique opportunities in these emerging markets.

Check out Magnite’s full array of research here, including the most recent reports on streaming for Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.