Ahead of its upfronts presentation on Monday, Amazon announced that it will introduce personalized pause ads on Prime Video.
The company said that it will be adding new ad options, including pause ads, which will use AI to generate copy that’s relevant to whatever the user is watching.
Amazon first shared that it would be adding interactive pause ads to content at last year’s upfronts. Here’s how the ads were described at that time:
Interactive pause ads, which enable customers to discover and engage with brands when they decide to pause the show or movie they’re streaming. When viewers press pause on their living-room remote, they will see a translucent ad featuring brand messaging and imagery, along with an “Add to Cart” and “Learn More” creative overlay. These ads extend the engagement opportunity beyond a traditional ad break, as the interactive overlay is available to customers for as long as the content is paused. With a click of their remote, customers can easily add the product to their Amazon cart, get more information sent to their email, and resume their stream at any time.
The difference in the new ad type is that AI will allow the company to tailor the ad experience to the user and the content they’re watching. For example, if a Prime Video user is watching a movie with characters traveling to a beach resort and pause to get more popcorn, the pause ad might be for an all-inclusive resort. With the interactive, shoppable ad model, that user would be able to book that trip directly through the ad, without exiting out of the movie.
Amazon is hoping that the personalized ads will resonate with viewers and drive more sales. In a statement ahead of upfronts on Monday, Alan Moss, Vice President, Global Ads Sales for Amazon Ads said the new model “dynamically aligns the ad message with the content viewers are watching – creating a natural and relevant connection.”