Interactive and shoppable ad formats are set to make their way to your Roku TV home screen in the near future, according to Roku's statement to industry publication Adexchanger.
While there is already a prominent ad spot on the Roku home screen occupying one-third of the screen, but you should expect more to appear if you own a Roku TV or Roku streaming devices, even if you have paid extra to avoid ads on streaming services like Netflix and Disney.
The large Roku ad on the home screen already takes up one third of the home screen. Photo: Roku
Roku will "immerse advertisers in more parts of the home screen" via interactive and shoppable ad formats, according to Roku's VP of global ad sales and partnerships, Kristina Shepard, to industry publication Adexchanger this week.
These ads will not be limited to media entertainment services and content, but also include ads for cars, travel and restaurants, she said.
You are the product
This move is another example of a TV platform treating its users – you – as the product. Roku had announced in 2018 its intention to transform Roku OS into a "next-generation ad platform."
It was bound to happen with Roku and Fire TV; extremely cheap devices sold near or below cost to build a user base. However, it is a little more surprising to witness the same model spreading to premium QD-OLED and OLED TVs from brands like LG and Samsung. These brands are also increasing the ad load on their webOS and Tizen platforms.
Kristina Shepard emphasized that Roku's goal is to get its software into more households. As a consumer, you should weigh if it is worth saving a little money to become the product.
The more expensive Apple TV 4K currently provides a refuge from TV ads on the home screen.
- Source: Adexchanger
