Disney+ Hotstar has unveiled a groundbreaking feature, ‘pause ads,’ exclusively for its Connected TV (CTV) feed, becoming the first platform in India to introduce this innovative advertising solution.
In line with its commitment to offering unique advertising options, Disney+ Hotstar’s new feature aims to integrate advertisements into user-initiated breaks. The company announced this development on Monday, highlighting its focus on enhancing the ad experience for both users and advertisers.
“We are thrilled to introduce another industry-first offering for our advertisers. The response to our CTV ads has been overwhelmingly positive. The launch of pause ads has generated significant excitement among our clients in the CPG, FMCG, F&B, and Auto sectors. Marico, Mondelez, and ITC have been among the early adopters. We will continue to innovate and bring best-in-class solutions to our advertisers,” said Dhruv Dhawan, Head of Ads at Disney+ Hotstar.
Data shows users pause content 4-5 times a day, with 90% of these pauses lasting less than 10 seconds. This user behavior makes pause ads an ideal way to deliver short, impactful advertisements without disrupting the viewing experience.
Somasree Bose Awasthi, CMO of Marico Limited, shared her insights on the new feature, “This year, on the occasion of World Health Day, we collaborated with Disney+ Hotstar to launch a contextual campaign via Pause Ads on CTV. A powerful context-relevant occasion was activated every time the Disney+ Hotstar user initiated a break. This was built on the consumer insight that a large majority of content pause occasions are initiated around snacking. Disney+ Hotstar’s CTV Pause ads served as the perfect platform for Saffola to advocate healthy eating.”
Sanjay Srinivas, Vice President – Health & Hygiene, Personal Care Products Business at ITC Limited, also commented, “Innovative ad formats, especially on streaming platforms, help transform brand connect with audiences. Pause Ad is an interesting innovation that helps break the clutter without intruding on the viewing experience and attracts attention.”
Anjali Madan, Director of Consumer Experience at Mondelez India, expressed excitement about the collaboration: “At Mondelez, we have always been at the forefront of pioneering innovation in advertising and are thrilled to associate with Disney+ Hotstar to launch CTV ‘Pause Ads’ in India with our ‘Tang Summer Break Bestie’ campaign.
Through this campaign, we wanted to provide an interactive platform for mothers and their kids to beat summer boredom, unleash their creativity, and design their own animated bestie using fun AR-like effects. Leveraging the innovative format of CTV ‘Pause Ads’ enabled us to reach our consumers seamlessly and convey our messaging in a more non-intrusive and effective manner, fostering a more positive and memorable brand interaction.”
With this launch, Disney+ Hotstar continues to lead the way in innovative advertising solutions, providing advertisers with new ways to engage audiences without interrupting the viewing experience.
