When you turn on your TV, the first thing you see may soon be an advertisement. TiVo is the latest company betting that the home screen is the next big opportunity for streaming ads, opening up its TV interface to programmatic advertisers in the U.S. through a new partnership with OpenGlass.
The new setup is designed to give advertisers a bigger shot at reaching viewers right when they turn on the TV and decide what to watch. TiVo says the inventory spans millions of households through its pay TV operator partnerships and front-of-screen presence.
The home screen has long been one of the most valuable spots on a TV, but it has also been one of the hardest to buy at scale. TiVo says this partnership opens that space up to programmatic buyers while giving brands a chance to show up during a key moment in the viewing journey.
“At TiVo Ads, we believe the homescreen is one of the most influential moments in the viewer journey,” said Craig Chinn, senior vice president of global advertising sales at TiVo Ads. “By partnering with OpenGlass, we are helping brands across different verticals connect with audiences earlier, with more impactful formats, incremental reach and greater ease of activation.”
And TiVo is not limiting the new offering to entertainment brands. The company says homescreen ads will now be available to advertisers across retail, automotive, finance, travel, telecommunications, and consumer goods. The new ad formats can cover up to 90% of the screen and include rich video and custom-branded end screens.
More Streaming Devices Are Turning Their Home Screens Into Ad Space
For cord cutters, this is another reminder that the TV home screen is becoming more than just a place to launch apps. It is turning into a full-blown advertising surface.
Over the past few years, many major streaming platforms have increased their ad placement. Notably, Roku has added more ads to its home screen and “immerse advertisers” in more parts of the interface, including interactive and shoppable formats. More recently, Roku expanded testing of its redesigned home screen, which puts more emphasis on discovery, recommendations, and sponsored placements.
Amazon has also pushed further in this direction with Fire TV. The company replaced the screensaver with full-screen ads after previously adding full-screen video ads when the device powers on. At the time, Amazon said those ads were part of its Ambient Experience and were to help customers discover content, products, and services.
Google TV has followed a similar path with full-screen video ads on Chromecast with Google TV. Android TV even features teaser trailers that automatically play on the home screen while users browse. Even live TV streaming services have gotten in on the act. Sling TV, DIRECTV, and others feature pause ads in the latest sign that streaming platforms continue to find new places to sell attention.
“Advertisers have seen the power of premium homescreen environments to drive outcomes but have struggled to access them in a way that’s seamless and scalable,” said Jason Higgins, co-founder and CEO at OpenGlass. “Together with TiVo Ads, we are bringing greater openness, automation and flexibility to this valuable part of the TV experience.”
For viewers, this likely means even more ads creeping into the first screen they see when they turn on the TV. Surveys have shown that streamers are fed up with ads in their services, but this is another way advertisers can reach people before they ever open a streaming app.
As companies continue to expand their ad reach, the streaming home screen is no longer just a menu. It is becoming one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in TV advertising, and TiVo clearly wants a bigger piece of that market.
