Response from Google’s Gemini:
The formats for online video advertising and Connected TV (CTV) are expected to undergo significant transformation by 2030, driven primarily by advancements in technology, changes in consumer viewing habits, and the need for more measurable and engaging ad experiences.
Here is an explanation of the key changes expected in formats for online video advertising and CTV:
1. Dominance of Interactive and Shoppable Ad Formats
The biggest shift will be the move away from passive, non-skippable pre-roll ads toward highly interactive and shoppable formats, especially on CTV.
- Interactive CTV Ads: These will become the standard, moving beyond simple static calls-to-action. Formats will include:
- QR Codes: Seamlessly integrated into the ad creative, allowing viewers to easily scan with their mobile phone for more information, special offers, or to directly make a purchase.
- Clickable/Tappable Elements: Viewers will be able to use their remote to click on product overlays, choose their own adventure, take a poll, or request a sample directly within the ad.
- Gamified Experiences: Ads will incorporate light gaming or reward-based mechanics to drive deeper engagement and recall.
- Shoppable Video: Integrating direct purchase capabilities will shorten the path to conversion. Viewers will be able to complete a purchase, add an item to a cart, or save a product for later directly from the video ad, both on CTV and mobile devices.
2. Hyper-Personalization and Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)
Advertising creative will become highly individualized and dynamic, thanks to the maturation of AI and data-driven targeting.
- AI-Driven Creative Production: Generative AI will be used to automatically create and optimize thousands of ad variations in real-time, tailoring the content (e.g., product, background, voiceover, call-to-action) to a specific viewer’s profile, viewing context, and even their current mood or local weather.
- Advanced Personalization: Ads will be targeted not just based on demographics, but on first-party data, viewing habits, and real-time behavioral signals, making each ad placement highly relevant. The goal is to deliver “the right message, to the right person, at the exact right moment.”
3. Shorter, Vertical, and Contextually Integrated Formats
Formats will adapt to diverse screen sizes and content consumption patterns, especially the growth of short-form vertical video and Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels.
- Short-Form Video Dominance: Short, vertical video (e.g., 6-10 seconds) will become the primary format across mobile and even integrated into other digital display areas, replacing traditional banner ads.
- Contextual Relevance: Ads will be intelligently matched to the surrounding content (e.g., a cooking appliance ad running before a cooking show) using sophisticated AI-powered contextual targeting, a trend gaining importance as third-party cookies decline.
- Less Intrusive Placements: As the CTV environment matures, formats like branded content integrations, ad-supported interactive overlays, and new ad break innovations (e.g., shorter, less frequent breaks) will seek to reduce viewer fatigue and be less disruptive than long, repeated commercial pods.
4. Convergence and Cross-Screen Measurement
The format and experience will be designed for continuity and measurable outcomes across all devices.
- Connected Campaigns: Video ad formats will be an integral part of omnichannel strategies, allowing an ad seen on the TV screen to drive a follow-up action (or a retargeting ad) on a mobile device or desktop.
- Performance CTV: The format will move beyond brand awareness, incorporating direct-response elements and robust measurement to track lower-funnel outcomes like app downloads, website visits, and sales driven by a TV ad. This will solidify CTV as a key “performance marketing” channel.
In essence, the future of video and CTV advertising formats by 2030 will be defined by an evolution from interruptive broadcast-style commercials to personalized, highly measurable, and interactive consumer experiences.