Samsung is the latest smart TV maker to integrate Brightline’s interactive ad capabilities into its connected TV inventory for its free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service.
Brightline already counts work with major publishers, such as Warner Bros. Discovery, and has partnered with Samsung-competitor and smart TV maker Vizio in the U.S for interactive ads on its WatchFree+ FAST service.
Samsung’s already had the ability to run Brightline expandable units on its smart TV home screen for several years, but the new expanded partnership now allows Samsung to run the vendor’s in-stream video ad and experiences in its FAST service Samsung TV Plus. It’s Samsung’s first partner to offer interactive CTV ads using a remote on Samsung TV Plus.
In the new partnership with Samsung, the TV OEM said it greatly expands its actionable and dynamic ad inventory. It moves Samsung Ads beyond existing interactive QR codes and shoppable OLV (online video) inventory with the addition of live and personalized ad formats such as scrollable branded carousels, on-screen polls and trivia experiences that prompt engagement and action from viewers directly from the TV screen. It also pulls in dynamic creative that can be customized using Samsung’s data footprint to include features like store and dealership locators.
While the expanded partnership is brand new, a Samsung spokesperson told StreamTV Insider that to-date, it’s seen CPG, Auto and Entertainment advertising partners most heavily lean into other actionable ad formats.
“Now with access to Brightline, Samsung advertisers can take home screen engagement a step further with dynamic, engaging ad experiences that are designed to be actionable,” Michael Scott, VP of Ad Sales and Operations at Samsung Ads, told StreamTV Insider. “As we progress towards a future where personalized and relevant advertising is not only the norm, but expected, actionable home screen ads will continue to be a crucial advertising tool for brands.”
In an earlier interview with StreamTV Insider, Brightline shared research results that showed despite prevalence of QR codes, those formats only resulted 0.02% of users scanning a QR code in a video ad, based on internal Brightline data, compared to an average engagement rate of 1.12% with a remote control click on Brightline ad units.
And certain formats such as “chose-based ads” and in-stream trivia ad units show higher engagement – with a 10.43% selection rate for the former and a 2.53% engagement rate for the latter.
According to Brightline, in the past year 56 million households were exposed to an Accelerator Ad experience through a streaming device or CTV, and 17% of households within its footprint engaged with a Brightline campaign in the first half of 2023.
For Brightline, Samsung adds to its client roster, with a massive footprint as the leading smart TV maker in the U.S., that also brings a crucial breadth of unique audience data. In terms of personalization, at its most basic, Brightline allows for geo-addressable creative like store locators or localized deals to dynamically populate commercial overlays. However, a Brightline spokesperson said that the potential with Samsung and its unique audience data means interactive creatives can be tailored to deeper levels understanding, such as viewing habits.
Samsung Ads’ Scott, in a statement, pointed to CTV advertising’s ability to deliver tools that help brands achieve results they can measure, particularly with action-based ads.
“Today, we’ve evolved to a point where CTV is now capable of delivering results beyond simply reach and awareness," continued Scott. "With BrightLine’s advanced capabilities, advertisers are now able to engage consumers in a real-time dialog and exchange for the first time on Samsung Smart TVs, opening a whole new world of possibilities for brands.”
According to Samsung, Brightline’s interactive ad suite plugs into Samsung’s user interface and smart TV operating system, for an easy integration of a variety of interactive and dynamic ad formats into the OEM’s inventory mix. The new formats complement Samsung’s existing offering of in-stream, native and cross-platform ads.
Samsung also touts its base as the largest single source of TV data, with Samsung Ads reaching three in four U.S. households.
“BrightLine is helping partners like Samsung Ads deliver on the promise and potential of truly dynamic CTV ad experiences,” said Mike Bologna, BrightLine’s chief accelerator. “Now that Smart TVs have become so much more than just a vehicle for video consumption, these new ad units provide opportunities for audiences to engage and take action directly from their screen, complementing the rich Samsung connected ecosystem.”
And when it comes to the importance of action ads, a Brightline spokesperson told STV that there is no better gauge of audience attention than action, “as measuring viewer engagement not only guarantees the viewer is paying attention and responding, but that a real person is sitting in front of that ad.”
Engagement is also shown to boost the overall impact of an ad, from recall to favorability, the official added.
For more on how Brightline is helping to power interactive ads at scale on CTV in an interview with Brightline President and co-founder Robert Aksman read here.