In Roku’s most recent quarter, the company reported better-than-expected revenue of $741 million, but it spooked investors with its warning of an uncertain advertising market and low average revenue per user. Today, at IAB NewFronts, the streaming media company presented its latest advertising product to help it deal with the latter, at least. These included new advertising opportunities on Roku’s home screen, within its original content, and even in its screensaver, among other things. It also amplified its use of contextual AI to automatically run ads next to the most relevant moments in shows and movies on the Roku Channel.
The company explained that its new AI capabilities search through the Roku library for “iconic plot moments” that match the brand’s message and place its ads in real time. To work, marketers will first tell Roku what their campaign is about. The AI searches the library to match the campaign to key moments. For example, when Tim Gunn says “Make it work” on “Project Runway,” a clothing brand could insert their message.
Roku also announced a new slate of Roku Originals, which will include a documentary series on entrepreneurship, “Side Hustlers,” produced by Hello Sunshine — Reese Witherspoon’s media company sold in 2021 for $900 million to Candle Media, the company Kevin runs. Disney executives. Mayer and Tom Staggs, which now has its hand in many pies across the flowing landscape. Digital bank Ally was also involved in this production that focuses on people turning their side hustle into their main business.
Image credits: Rocco
New originals arriving this year include “Celebrity Family Cook Off,” a series executive produced by Sofia Vergara and presented by Manolo González Vergara, and “Carpe DM with Juanpa,” which will feature social media star Juanpa Zurita, among others. Roku said it’s also renewing “The Great American Baking Show,” featuring Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith, Ellie Kemper, and Zach Cherry and “Honest Renovations,” featuring Jessica Alba and Lizzy Mathis.
The company claimed its assets were delivery better from cable, And until better from Broadcasting audiences every day.
Additionally, the streaming company used its time to brainstorm with marketers on how to reach the 71.6 million active accounts on its service with new products and ad placements.
The pitch, delivered by Roku Media President Charlie Collier, highlighted Roku’s reach in the United States
“Americans spend more time on Roku than on any other TV platform, which means they spend more time here with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and even more time streaming CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox,” Collier told the audience. “Think about this: 50% of all Super Bowl broadcasts happened on Roku this year,” he added.
Image credits: Rocco
During the event, Roku shared some of its latest advertising deals. She noted that her “Roku City” screensaver, which floats on the TV screen while idle, will open up to the brands. Whereas previously, a city screensaver would direct users to suggested content for the stream, it will now be able to feature other brands as well. This summer, it will feature the McDonald’s brand as part of the artwork, for example, as its first showrunner for the new ad. Roku said the screensaver is used by nearly 40 million homes.
The company also introduced new discovery experiences that allow brands to host content in areas like home, garden, and sports experiences that curate content across TV on Roku’s home screen. Now, when users turn to a Roku search, they may see a featured collection being “offered by” an ad partner — for example, Walmart was shown to be “offered” by a Home & Garden collection.
Image credits: Rocco
Image credits: Rocco
Roku also shared that Instacart was its newest Commerce+ partner, joining others like Walmart, Best Buy, Cox Automotive, DoorDash, Kroger, and more in its shoppable ads and other retailer-focused initiatives.
Roku explained that Commerce+ is designed to shorten the buying path for consumers.
For example, Wendy’s offered Roku users a $5 discount powered by DoorDash via a home screen ad, and then used DoorDash data to help measure the impact of their ad spending. The company said that the campaign essentially increased the volume of Wendy’s requests among new and former users and generated a positive return on investment many times over.
Other news for marketers included Roku introducing the Primetime Reach Guarantee, which it claimed was a “first” in streaming. Basically, the warranty sticks to the brands they can do It arrives more TV families in peak from the middle program broadcast on a summit-five cable channel on traditional TV.
“We’re uniquely positioned to make television unmissable brands because Roku isn’t fighting for streaming, we’re the playground,” Allison Levine, Roku’s vice president of Ad Revenue and Marketing Solutions, said in a press release. “We’re bringing the full power of the platform, not just the pieces, to give marketers more of the scale, joy and flexibility they love about TV.”