NBCUniversal's Peacock tries new streaming ad formats
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NBCUniversal (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is launching new ad formats for its Peacock streaming service - the latest data point in how a previously mixed streaming industry is turning more heavily to advertising to squeeze more growth out of users.
At Peacock's NewFronts presentation, the company introduced the Peacock Frame Ad after hearing demands for more opportunities from advertisers. The format shrinks the main video size slightly while putting a brand message in a frame around it.
That's not dissimilar to the "squeezeback" that cable news channels sometimes do, keeping a camera on some active news while shrinking to make room for an advertiser message without interrupting the video flow.
The frame might even contain interactive elements, possibly including QR codes, to help viewers shop.
Peacock is also exploring an "In-Scene Ad" format which would be similar to product placement but integrate a brand message post-production - such as by replacing billboards visible in a scene with particular messages.
Peacock notably has always had ad-supported and ad-free tiers. But adding more room for ads is of a piece with the way the industry's been moving: Most recently, after recent moves from Disney (DIS) and HBO Max (WBD), even holdout Netflix (NFLX) acknowledged it would work on an ad-supported subscription tier.