For streaming companies, and commercial broadcasters with VoD channels, the pause ad is a new way of targeting viewers when theyre distracted by something other than their screen, writes Operatives SVP of global sales, David Dembowski
By Contributor
Published: February 8, 2024
For streaming companies, and commercial broadcasters with VoD channels, the pause ad is a new way of targeting viewers when they're distracted by something other than their screen, writes Operative's SVP of global sales, David Dembowski
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Advertising innovation is coming to a TV near you. The latest advertising format to hit the big screen is the pause ad an ad that airs when someone has paused what they are watching. In the UK, pause ads have been on Channel 4 for years. In the US, Netflix has recently rolled out the new format while Peacock calls pause ads high-impact and unobtrusive on their website.
With any innovative format, the structure that media companies build around it is at least as important as the ad product itself. Without good processes and technology to manage new ads, it will be hard to sell or scale. There are many things that go into making a new ad product successful. Media companies need to enable sellers to easily price and package the ad format into a larger proposal. They need to easily traffic creative and manage the campaign. And, they need to report on the ad in a way that helps advertisers compare its performance against other ads in their media plan.
Incorporating pause ads into the media mix Selling advertising is not like selling shoes. Typically, if someone wants to buy shoes, they look for a pair that they like and they buy it. One product, one transaction. Advertising transactions are far more complex. An advertiser working with a streaming company like Channel 4 or Hulu is likely spending money on millions or even billions of ad impressions, targeting specific audiences and content across a number of different ad formats. Pricing needs to be negotiated, creatives need to be built, and campaigns need to be optimised continuously across these various ad formats.
Pause ads are one of a number of innovative ad types on streaming. Viewers are also seeing clickable commerce-driven ads, pinch back ads that show content in a smaller window, and even virtual product placement, ads embedded into content using AI. It's safe to assume that as media companies and advertisers expand their streaming focus, new ads will emerge.
To succeed, media companies need processes and technology in place that can expand to ingest a new format like pause ads. This means that they need an order management system that has a unified product catalogue to help sales to create larger proposals that include these ads. It also means they need revenue management that can help the ad operations team to traffic and manage the ad alongside the rest of the media buy.
Understanding the value of pause ads While pause ads give advertisers a fantastic canvas for their creative, time will tell how effective the ads are at scale. Today, advertisers are mostly still testing the ad format. One aspect that needs to be analysed is ad recall. If someone is pausing their TV, presumably, they are shifting their attention elsewhere. Perhaps they're grabbing a snack in the kitchen or responding to a text on their phone, which means they aren't going to be a captive audience for the pause ad. However, they will likely see the ad when they turn their attention back to the screen.
Having unified insights about pause ads compared to the rest of other advertising in a media buy can help advertisers learn quickly to determine how to best incorporate new formats like pause ads into their broader strategy.
What's more, media companies need to have an overview of their own performance when it comes to new formats. Understanding the pricing and demand for any new ad type is critical to create a product catalogue that is not just enticing for advertisers, but also profitable to the publisher.
Ultimately, pause ads are one of many new ad types that media companies are introducing in order to maximise their revenue from streaming. Streaming delivers more flexibility, targeting and richer insights than broadcast, so it should be easier for streaming companies to quickly learn what works and what doesn't.
However, with all of these benefits comes more complexity, and so streaming companies also need to ensure that their operations and technology supports an expanded product catalogue and more sophisticated products overall.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
For streaming companies, and commercial broadcasters with VoD channels, the pause ad is a new way of targeting viewers when theyre distracted by something other than their screen, writes Operatives SVP of global sales, David Dembowski
