How to Produce Ads for Hulu & CTV: A Guide for NY Businesses

TV advertising used to be simple. You bought a 30-second spot on local cable, the cable company sent their “in-house” camera man to shoot a generic :30 ad for you, you crossed your fingers and hoped it looked good and the right people were watching when it hit the cable channels.

Today, the audience has moved. Millions of households in the New York Tri-State area and beyond have cut the cord and are watching content exclusively through Connected TV (CTV) devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime, or on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Tubi (known as OTT or "Over-the-Top" services).

For businesses, this is a massive opportunity. CTV allows you to combine the prestige of a TV commercial with the precise targeting of digital advertising. You aren't just broadcasting; you are narrowcasting to your exact customer profile.

But here is the catch: The production bar is higher.

You cannot take a vertical Instagram Reel, slap it onto a 65-inch 4K television, and expect it to work. It will look pixelated, amateurish, and will damage your brand's reputation.

If you are ready to move your marketing budget into streaming, here is your guide to producing commercial assets that actually perform on the big screen.

1. Understand the "Lean-Back" Experience

The first step is psychological. When someone is scrolling TikTok on their phone, they are in a "lean-forward" state—impatient, thumbs ready to swipe, viewing on a small vertical screen.

When someone is watching Hulu on their couch, they are in a "lean-back" state.

• They are relaxed.

• They are watching on a large, horizontal screen.

• Their audio is on (often through a soundbar or home theater system).

• Crucially: They cannot skip the ad.

This means your creative needs to respect their time. You have 15 or 30 seconds of captive attention. Don't waste it with frantic pacing or ugly graphics. Your commercial needs to be cinematic, well-paced, and tell a clear, compelling story.

2. Technical Specs Tell a Story (Quality Matters)

Unlike social media platforms that compress your video into oblivion, streaming services require broadcast-quality assets. If your video isn't up to spec, it will be rejected by the platform's ad server.

While the exact specs vary slightly between platforms like Hulu Ad Manager and Roku, the general requirements for professional CTV production include:

• Resolution: A minimum of 1080p Full HD (1920x1080). 4K is increasingly becoming the standard for future-proofing your assets.

• Aspect Ratio: Strictly 16:9 (Horizontal). Vertical or square videos are non-starters.

• Frame Rate: Typically 23.976 fps or 29.97 fps. This gives the "cinematic" look of TV versus the "soap opera" look of high-frame-rate video.

• Audio: This is where amateurs get caught. Audio must be mixed to strict broadcast loudness standards (usually around -23 LUFS). If your audio is too quiet, it won't be heard. If it's too loud or distorted, it will be flagged and rejected.

At Absolute Motion, we shoot on cinema-grade cameras and handle professional sound mixing to ensure every deliverable meets these rigorous network standards on the first try.

3. The Creative Strategy: One Shoot, Multiple Assets

A common concern is cost. Does producing a TV-quality commercial mean a Super Bowl-sized budget?

Not if you plan correctly.

The smartest strategy for modern businesses is to plan a single, high-quality "Hero" shoot, and then slice that footage into multiple assets for different platforms.

• The Hero: A 30-second cinematic commercial for Hulu/CTV.

• The Cutdown: A punchy 15-second version for YouTube pre-roll.

• The Social Assets: With some planning, we can also shoot vertically or re-purpose horizontally shot footage for use in TikTok or Instagram Reels later.

By investing in one professional production day, you generate a library of content that serves your entire marketing funnel—from the living room TV to the smartphone screen.

4. The Multilingual Advantage: Speaking Their Language

One of the most powerful features of CTV advertising is the ability to target households based on language preference.

In the New York Tri-State area, the Hispanic market is massive, yet often underserved by local advertisers. Data shows that Hispanic audiences actually over-index on streaming consumption—meaning they watch more Connected TV than the general population. (Note: our data shows that Chinese and Korean speaking households are growing quickly in the NY Tri-State area as well).

However, simply taking your English commercial and slapping a dubbed voiceover on it is not enough. Audiences can smell "low effort" from a mile away.

To truly capture this market, you need Culturally Relevant Creative.

• Visuals: Casting talent that represents the demographic you are targeting.

• Scripting: Writing copy that respects cultural nuances rather than just running Google Translate.

• Production: Shooting a dedicated version of the spot in Spanish on the same production day as the English version.

Because Absolute Motion specializes in multilingual production, we can help you double your potential audience without doubling your production budget. We shoot can shoot multiple versions back-to-back, ensuring consistent quality and messaging across both markets, usually without adding an additional day of filming.

5. Clear Calls to Action (CTA)

On the web, a user can just click a link. On a TV, they cannot.

Your CTV commercial needs a clear, memorable Call to Action that a viewer can act on after the ad is over.

• Bad CTA: "Click the link below." (There is no link).

• Good CTA: Your website and contact is clear throughout the commercial.

• Advanced CTA: We place QR codes on screen, allowing viewers to scan their TV with their phone to visit your site instantly. This bridges the gap between the big screen and the small screen.

The Verdict: Don't DIY Your TV Spot

Streaming advertising is the most powerful tool available to local and regional businesses today. It levels the playing field, allowing you to appear alongside major national brands in your customers' living rooms.

But that opportunity comes with a responsibility to show up looking professional. A poorly produced commercial on a giant 4K screen doesn't just look bad—it makes your business look small.

If you are ready to take your brand to the big screen, you need a production partner who understands both the creative storytelling and the technical demands of the streaming landscape.

Ready to get started? Contact Absolute Motion today for a consultation on your first CTV or Hulu commercial campaign. Let's put your brand in the spotlight.

Author Bio:

Mike Meyerson, owner of Absolute Motion, helping businesses in the NY area upgrade their image through professional video production. He writes about how small businesses can use visual media to compete with the big guys.