Sports-focused streaming service Fubo has partnered with Magnite to offer the first pause ads on connected TV (CTV) sold via a programmatic biddable environment.
Fubo says it is the first streaming service to support both programmatic guaranteed and biddable private marketplace pause ad executions. On the programmatic side, Fubo says ad buyers can benefit from “increased flexibility in how they transact pause ads with the coveted features of programmatic transactions, including precise audience addressability and post-campaign analytics.”
Pause ads drive 33 percent more brand engagement than video ads on Fubo’s connected TV platform, the company said, citing internal data.
“Fubo is proud to have a long history of market firsts and offering pause ads programmatically is the next phase of advancing our ad innovation,” Jennifer Hess, the Vice President of Global Ad Operations at Fubo, said on Thursday. “The excitement around interactive ad formats like pause ads has only increased and now brands have more flexibility to activate against our robust lineup of live sports, news and entertainment content. Programmatic pause ads for CTV are a game changer, and we’re eager to introduce them on our platform.”
Fubo says its programmatic pause ads are powered by ClearLine, a self-serve buying solution offered by Magnite. The pause ads allow users to receive brand messaging when they temporarily stop an in-progress video. Most pause ads include a quick reference (QR) code that, when scanned, allows for further engagement, to include buying goods or services.
“Fubo’s launch of programmatic pause ads marks a meaningful step forward for innovation in CTV advertising,” Chris Signore, the Group Vice President of Business Development at Magnite, said in a statement. “We’re proud to power this first-to-market opportunity with Fubo, helping brands drive deeper engagement during premium streaming moments.”
