Peacock’s App Opens With a Flurry of Ads
▼ Summary
– Peacock will introduce new “arrival ads” on its profile selection screen starting next year, placing ads next to user icons.
– These ads will be shown to all users except those with the Premium Plus subscription tier.
– The ads are designed to give brands a prominent first impression as users enter the streaming platform.
– Peacock is also adding advertisements to the vertical video feed of clips within its mobile apps.
– This expansion follows existing ad formats like pause ads and a “binge” ad that offers an ad-free episode after two consecutive viewings.
Peacock is introducing a new advertising format that will greet users directly on the profile selection screen, a move that further integrates commercial content into the streaming experience. This initiative, set to begin next year, places what the company calls “arrival ads” alongside user profile icons on the “Who’s watching?” page. These ads represent a significant expansion of ad inventory, targeting viewers at the very moment they launch the app.
During a recent presentation, NBCUniversal demonstrated how these ads will function. In one example, user profiles are listed vertically on the left side of the screen while a large advertisement for Capital One occupies the majority of the display. Another example featured promotional imagery for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the same prominent position. The company is effectively utilizing what was previously blank screen space for brand partnerships.
A spokesperson confirmed that subscribers to the ad-free Premium Plus tier will not encounter these new profile screen advertisements. The company describes the format as an innovative way for brands to make a powerful first impression as viewers enter the platform. This development is part of a broader strategy to increase ad placements across the service.
In addition to the profile page ads, Peacock also revealed plans to incorporate advertisements into the vertical video feed of short clips available on its mobile applications. This adds yet another channel for commercial messages within the ecosystem. The service already employs several other ad formats, including full-screen advertisements that activate when a viewer pauses their content. It also utilizes a “binge” ad, which appears after a user watches two consecutive episodes of a series, offering a sponsored message that promises the following episode will be free of commercials.
(Source: The Verge)
