Even binge watchers have to hit the pause button sometimes and Hulu is ready to pounce.
The streaming service announced on Thursday it is testing a new experience that will show an advertisement when a viewer hits the pause button, presumably for a bathroom break or to make more popcorn. The new ads are designed to be unobtrusive and will be static images – no video.
“Our pause ad research found that consumers generally preferred ads that were subtle and non-intrusive, and that extensive audio and video when pausing was considered disruptive,” Jeremy Helfand, Hulu’s vice president of head of advertising platforms, said in a blog post. “These insights led us to take our current approach to pause ads, and the research so far has shown a positive response from viewers.”
The new experience is currently being tested with Charmin and Coca-Cola ads on select content. Pause ads are expected to be rolled out in the second quarter of this year for “select content” within Hulu’s library. No word yet if that includes “Fyre Fraud,” the streamer’s viral hit documentary about the Fyre Festival.
The advertising announcement comes one week after Hulu announced it would shave $2 off the price of its advertising supported subscriptions, putting the new Hulu 2019 cost at $5.99 per month.
