Live TV streaming service Philo has become the latest digitally delivered video content platform to introduce pause ads across its full ad-supported footprint. The format, says Philo, is now accessible both directly and programmatically, “giving brand and agency partners flexible entry into one of streaming’s highest-engagement ad moments.”
Pause ads appear when a viewer pauses content, capturing attention during a natural break without interrupting the viewing experience.
Philo notes data shared recently by eMarketer that find 81% of viewers pause specifically to avoid missing content, and 54% of pause sessions last between one and five minutes. Thus, in Philo’s view, the format has been shown to lift both purchase intent and brand favorability, and initial measurement suggests that viewers are much more likely to engage with interactive elements such as QR codes.
Philo’s implementation is built natively into its ad server, available through Direct IO and programmatic activation without requiring third-party SDK integrations. Strategic partners including Magnite, Index Exchange, Kargo, Nexxen, OpenGlass, OpenX, TripleLift, and WunderKIND Ads helped make the pause ads become a reality for Philo.
“We built our pause ads product to help increase ad effectiveness without jeopardizing the viewing experience,” said Kyle Turner, Director, Advertising Product Strategy at Philo. “The goal was to capitalize on a passive viewing experience that is controlled by the user while also creating a technical solution that allows an advertiser multiple access points, direct or programmatic.”
