Roku has partnered with advertising firm Innovid in a bid to deliver more personalized and targeted ads to its users through the use of interactive ads.
Crackle, VEVO and CBS (including its many channels like CBS News, CNET, GameSpot and CBS Sports) are among the first to sign up.
When viewing content on these channels, users will be met with a range of ads. Using the Roku remote, users can play games, view a retailer’s current sales, take quizzes, watch extended videos of select products and more.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not crazy. As it turns out, the new ads went live a month and a half ago although Roku and Innovid are just now announcing the partnership.
Sure to garner some attention is the fact that these interactive ads can be personalized based on a user’s location.
Scott Rosenberg, Roku’s vice president of advertising, said a couple dozen more channels are already working to implement the new ad model. Furthermore, Roku is adding the model to its software development kit meaning all app publishers will have the option to include interactive ads. Ultimately, the longterm success of the ads will be based on how well they perform and the response they draw from viewers.
Love it or hate it, advertising it an integral part of the Internet. Without it, none of the sites and services you use today would be possible. It’s sometimes hard for people to grasp that concept and truth be told, site owners dislike ads just as much as their visitors. Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil until someone comes up with a different revenue model that works for everyone.
Update: An earlier version of this story noted Roku collects data about other devices on a home's Wi-Fi network. Roku reached out to say this was not accurate; as such, it has been omitted.
https://www.techspot.com/news/61049-roku-partners-innovid-bring-interactive-ads-video-channels.html
