Amazon's popular subscription-based streaming service, Prime Video, will now show you interactive ads. They will come in three different formats, and you may have guessed that it's a strategy to push products in your face. Well, you're right.
Amazon's ads will be product-focused. While they're not exactly intrusive, you can't escape them. But don't worry. You have the choice to pay $3 extra and make the commercials go away. Here's more information on how the new ad system will work.
The three ad types Amazon is ruining your life with
Amazon is introducing three types of ads that will pop up when you temporarily stop watching its content. They're not here yet but should arrive in the upcoming broadcast year. The broadcast year is a 52-week calendar system that the television industry in the USA follows. It runs from September of the current year to September of the following year.
We are developing innovative experiences to help brands better engage with customers, as we work to transform streaming advertising through our differentiated combination of reach, first-party signals, and ad tech. Ads in Prime Video provide an unparalleled experience for advertisers to deliver on any full-funnel marketing objective—whether it’s awareness, consideration, or conversion.
Alan Moss, Vice President of global ad sales for Amazon Ads.
Shoppable carousels give advertisers the space to push their products during those breaks in Prime Video shows and movies. You'll be able to browse different variations and add them directly to your Amazon cart using your remote control. There's no need to scan a QR code or leave the streaming service to the official Amazon Shopping app.
Interactive pause ads are as they sound. They'll take advantage of the fact that you deliberately pressed the pause button. Amazon overlays a transparent banner on the paused content, allowing you to still see background elements. However, it's hard to concentrate on anything else when an advertiser's brand messaging and product imagery are taking all the attention. You'll see options to add the advertised product to your cart or learn more about it before making the buying decision.
Interactive trivia ads also come when you pause Prime Video content. But this time around, you'll see “factoids” that teach you about the advertiser's brand, and again, options to browse products and add them to your cart.
Premium services are becoming less premium
Some Amazon subscribers aren't reacting kindly to the interactive ads. Sure, they may be helpful to advertisers. But frankly, they're unfair to anyone who's already paying for Prime features. Now, they have to pay even more to avoid something that should already be included in a premium streaming service.
New subscribers will have it rough, considering that they didn't expect it when they signed up. Unfortunately, interactive ads are becoming an inescapable trend, and you’re going to see more of them on various streaming services soon. Hulu added them earlier this year, and Roku is also working on pause-triggered ads.
It’s bringing back the nostalgic feeling of sitting through commercials with your family. But if you wanted to be nostalgic, you’d have bought a time machine and gone back to watch them for free — not pay over $100 per year. The way I see it, there are two “legal” ways to go from here; find a better streaming service or endure the ads. Who knows? You may just end up buying one or two interesting products.
