The Google video platform has started displaying advertising on Smart TVs when YouTube videos are paused. As reported by 9to5Google, some users have reported the appearance of this new advertising format, announced for the first time in May of last year. The ads appear in a column to the right of the paused video and are labeled “Sponsored.” Users can choose to dismiss the ad or access more information about it.
So far, only Dunkin’ Donuts ads have been detected, although it is likely that other brands will join soon. Some users on social media platforms such as Twitter and Reddit have commented on this new type of advertising, questioning if YouTube “didn’t already have enough ads.”
Although various websites have failed to reproduce these ads (which could indicate that this feature is still in testing or being gradually rolled out), it seems clear that YouTube aims to attract more advertisers to its platform through this new format.
YouTube generates significant revenue through advertising, representing 13.31% of Google’s total advertising revenue in the second quarter of 2024, which is approximately $34.4 billion annually. As if that weren’t enough, the platform is also experimenting with a new type of ad that cannot be blocked with ad blockers.
