Amazon is set to enhance its advertising strategy on Prime Video by launching a range of new ad formats that allow viewers to interact and shop directly from their screens. On Tuesday, the company introduced several innovative ad types, including shoppable carousel ads, interactive pause ads, and brand trivia ads, which will utilize the viewer’s TV remote for interaction.
According to Amazon’s data, these interactive ads are significantly more engaging, driving ten times the product page views and conversions compared to traditional ads. This suggests that while watching your favourite shows or films, you’ll be prompted to explore and potentially purchase products from Amazon through these interactive ads.
For instance, the shoppable carousel ads will be featured during ad breaks, displaying a scrollable lineup of products that viewers can browse and add to their Amazon cart directly using their TV remotes. These ads pause the content, allowing viewers time to shop, and automatically resume once the interaction ends.
Additionally, interactive pause ads will activate when viewers pause their content. These ads will display a semi-transparent overlay with product details, alongside options to add items to their cart or learn more about the featured products.
The details of where the interactive brand trivia ads will be displayed were not fully disclosed by Amazon. However, these ads are designed to mix entertainment with marketing by providing fun facts about the brand while offering shopping opportunities, product information, and potential rewards like Amazon shopping credits.
Amazon highlighted the new ad formats as part of its strategy to attract more advertisers to Prime Video, noting that the platform reaches over 200 million global customers on an ad-supported basis each month.
For viewers wishing to avoid ads altogether, Amazon offers an ad-free version of Prime Video at an additional cost of $2.99 per month. Meanwhile, the introduction of these ads has led to a class-action lawsuit filed by a consumer against the company for the inclusion of ads without a corresponding decrease in subscription price.
