Stop. This might be a good time for a commercial.
Consumers are increasingly resistant to sitting through a traditional commercial break, but what if they were given the option of watching a commercial during breaks of their own?
AT&T’s Xandr ad-tech unit has begun selling a new version of what has been called a “pause ad” or a commercial put in front of consumers when they decide to use the remote to call for a stop in their viewing action. Thirty seconds after a customer calls for a pause, a video ad starts to run with full motion.
“That’s a non-interruptive ad. It’s very high value. It’s very brand safe. It’s 100% viewable, and it’s gotten great reception,” says Brian Lesser, Xandr’s CEO. He says Xandr is likely to offer more detail about its “pause ad” concepts at CES in early 2020.
The new Xandr creation overlays “pause ads” onto traditional linear viewing of broadcast and cable networks. Research suggests that viewers “would rather see immersive advertising than a freeze-frame of a screen saver or something else,” Lesser says.
Source: Steinberg, B. (2019, December 10). Pausing Your Show? New AT&T Ads Will Start to Roll. Variety.
Editor’s Note: Variations in commercial size and configuration are expanding, delivering different ad experiences. Hulu has introduced one designed for binge watching. When a viewer is about to start their third consecutive episode of a show, a branded message appears. As “a reward” the next episode is commercial free, or a personalized offer from a brand is extended.