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Vizio TVs are now showing banner ads on live TV
Surprisingly, these ads aren’t actually terrible.
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Vizio is in the process of beta testing new “jump ads” that show over the end credits of live TV programs. Aimed at bridging live TV and streaming-on-demand (SOV), the ads might finally solve the age-old question, “what should I watch next?”
The new advertising might seem intrusive, and certainly, that’s what Redditors think; but they might actually fix an important issue.
When you watch a new show on live TV, you might not know which service(s) are streaming that same show. Sure, the next step is to do a browser search, but you might not get a clear answer.
Vizio’s new jump ads are aimed at removing that searching step. AdWeek says the new type of ads will link viewers to the same show, just on the relevant streaming app that’s compatible with the Vizio TV.
You can see it in action in the screenshot below, which features FOX’s newest docu-comedy, Welcome to Flatch.
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FOX started streaming the first seven episodes, at the same time that the premiere episode ran last Thursday. The jump ad at the end of the premiere let viewers know that they could keep watching if they switched to the FOX Now app.
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Vizio might actually be on the right track, for once. Other device manufacturers, like Roku, are using their ad overlays to show, well, actual ads.
These new jump ads feel closer to relevant TV Guide pages, informing the viewer about other ways to watch. They’re the brainchild of Vizio’s in-house subsidiary, Inscape, which also deals with brokering user data.
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Editors’ Recommendations:
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- YouTube now lets you watch free ad-supported TV shows
- Vizio is making more money selling your data than it is selling TVs