YouTube is stepping up its advertising game with a fresh wave of innovation aimed at turning TV screens into interactive shopping experiences. During its recent Upfront presentation—complete with a high-energy performance from Lady Gaga and appearances by creators like MrBeast and Brittany Broski—YouTube unveiled a new ad format for connected TVs (CTVs) that includes an interactive product feed.
Designed to match modern viewer behavior, where audiences often watch TV while shopping on their phones, this new format lets advertisers display a scrollable product feed on the right side of the screen during ads. Using a remote, viewers can explore multiple items in the feed. If something catches their eye, they can scan a QR code to make a purchase or press and hold a button to send the entire product list directly to their phone for later shopping.
This evolution in shoppable ads reflects YouTube’s dominance in the streaming space. Nielsen reports YouTube has held the top spot for streaming watch time in the U.S. for over two years, beating out Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video. According to YouTube’s internal data, TVs are now the primary device used for viewing YouTube content in the U.S.
Adding to its ad pitch, YouTube cited a Kantar study showing that U.S. consumers trust YouTube more than any other platform for discovering brand information. And it’s working—YouTube’s CTV ad campaigns drove more than 50 million average monthly conversions in Q4 2024.
The move comes amid a surge in shoppable content trends across streaming platforms. Amazon recently rolled out a similar interactive ad experience on Prime Video, featuring live deals, reviews, and Prime delivery highlights.
With the new interactive product feed, YouTube is blending entertainment and commerce in a way that could redefine how we shop from our living rooms.
Source: (Techcrunch)
