Why Samsung Ads is exploring new formats in the race to reimagine TV ads

With TV no longer limited to the living room thanks to streaming, Samsung Ads sees an opportunity to challenge the supremacy of the 30-second TV ad — and to have a little fun while doing it.

The company is bringing its gamified ad format, GameBreaks, to the U.K., after earlier rollouts in the U.S. and Canada this year.

These short, interactive games — controlled using the TV remote — appear as the first ad within premium commercial ad pods on Samsung TV Plus, the ad-supported streaming service native to Samsung smart TVs.

The key trend: Samsung’s push taps into one of the hottest areas of connected TV (CTV) advertising right now: interactive ads. From pause ads to shoppable ads, major streaming platforms are jostling to differentiate their offerings beyond standard video ads.

The details: The U.S. and Canada rollouts were “very successful,” according to Minai Bui, director of product marketing EMEA at Samsung Ads. The first title to hit U.K. screens for alpha testing later this summer will be trivia game The Six. More than eight games are slated for release this year.

By the numbers: Samsung’s reach in Europe is significant: Three out of five consumers in Europe’s five major markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.) own a Samsung device. And that’s not all. Samsung Ads recently announced it would integrate user behavior data from over 20 million opted-in smartphones into its CTV campaigns across Europe.

The Current caught up with Bui to learn why the company thinks interactivity is the next big thing in CTV advertising.

Why are you bringing this format to the U.K.?

GameBreaks is a great example of the possibilities that CTV opens up for TV advertising. Why does a TV ad have to be a 15- or 30-second video ad?

It’s logical for us too. Samsung is a gaming-forward company — we know gaming. Gaming is no longer a niche audience. Candy Crush turned everyone into a casual gamer and now we are bringing the genre to the TV.

Are younger audiences more open to these formats than older ones?

I don’t think so, actually. Yes, the stereotypical image of a gamer is a Gen Zer playing Fortnite, but if there’s one thing we know from masses of research that’s been done into the wider gaming world and gaming audience, it’s that people of all ages love playing games.

What metrics can you share that speak to this format’s effectiveness?

Independent research from MediaScience in the U.S., found that GameBreaks ads deliver a 53% lift in unaided brand recall, outperforming standard video ads by 1.5x.

It also found that 89% of viewers preferred GameBreaks over traditional commercial breaks. Moreover, 98% of users played through to the end of the ad.

How do you see interactive CTV ads like this and pause ads, QR codes, shoppable ads evolve?

As much as pause ads and QR codes are a nice evolution, formats such as GameBreaks take it one step further and provide a real value exchange for the viewer. This aligns with our position as a consumer brand first and foremost, building services and experiences for our end users. 

What is the ideal end goal for interactive CTV ads?

User experience is critical. It should feel seamless and native to the viewing experience and, in this instance, add a bit of fun gameplay to their viewing experience.

It is all a part of giving brands opportunities that allow for deeper engagement with viewers in a premium, brand-safe environment.