Fubo unveils The Triple Play: a new interactive CTV ad format

FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO), operating as Fubo, this week announced the launch of a new proprietary ad format called The Triple Play on September 6, 2024. This announcement, made two days ago, marks a notable advancement in Fubo's advertising capabilities, offering brands a novel way to engage with viewers on its sports-first live TV streaming platform.

The Triple Play is designed to showcase advertiser-branded video content prominently on Fubo's home screen, a prime location for viewer attention. This new format is set to debut in the coming days, with a major national retailer's back-to-school campaign as its inaugural sponsor. The retailer will enjoy complete share of voice on Fubo's home screen, potentially reaching millions of subscribers.

According to Dina Roman, Senior Vice President of Global Ad Sales and Operations at Fubo, this innovation extends beyond traditional 15 and 30-second ad spots. Roman stated, "CTV has made it possible to expand standard TV ad formats to command more attention and engagement." This statement underscores the evolving nature of television advertising in the streaming era.

The Triple Play ad unit consists of several components:

1. A branded banner
2. A custom content carousel featuring curated live and on-demand programming
3. A clickable branded content video within the curated programming playlist

Enhancing interactivity, the branded video can include a QR code, allowing viewers to engage further with the advertiser's content. Additionally, the advertiser's rotational mid-roll spots will appear within all on-demand content in the custom programming playlist.

Fubo has designed The Triple Play to create an immersive brand experience. It incorporates branded and themed backgrounds, custom titles, logo entitlements, and content. This comprehensive approach aims to maximize reach and engagement on large screens, where CTV viewing typically occurs.

The introduction of The Triple Play follows Fubo's unveiling of four new CTV ad formats at this year's NewFronts presentation. These formats were designed to expand the volume and variety of Fubo's ad inventory, with a focus on customization, interactivity, and engagement. The consistent innovation in ad formats demonstrates Fubo's commitment to providing advertisers with creative ways to reach their target audiences.

Fubo's position in the streaming market is notable. The company operates in the United States, Canada, Spain, and France (where it operates as Molotov). In the U.S., Fubo positions itself as a sports-first cable TV replacement product, aggregating more than 400 live sports, news, and entertainment networks. Notably, Fubo claims to be the only live TV streaming platform that offers every Nielsen-rated sports channel, based on Nielsen Total Viewers data from 2023.

The company has a history of pioneering features in the virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor (vMVPD) space. Fubo was the first to launch 4K streaming and MultiView, technologies it introduced years ahead of its competitors. More recently, the company unveiled Instant Headlines, an AI-powered feature that generates contextual news topics in real-time as they are reported live on air.

Fubo's technological innovations extend beyond content delivery to its advertising platform. The company leverages its proprietary data and technology platform, which is optimized for live TV and sports viewership. This allows Fubo to offer subscribers a personalized and intuitive streaming experience while providing advertisers with targeted opportunities to reach engaged audiences.

The launch of The Triple Play comes at a time when the CTV advertising market is experiencing significant growth. As more viewers transition from traditional cable to streaming services, advertisers are seeking new ways to reach these audiences effectively. Fubo's innovation in this space could potentially influence broader trends in CTV advertising, encouraging other platforms to develop similar interactive and immersive ad formats.

Key facts about Fubo's new Triple Play ad format

• Announced on September 6, 2024
• Designed for prominent display on Fubo's CTV home screen
• Includes a branded banner, custom content carousel, and clickable branded video
• Allows for QR code integration for deeper engagement
• Incorporates rotational mid-roll spots in on-demand content
• Will debut with a major national retailer's back-to-school campaign
• Follows the introduction of four other new CTV ad formats earlier this year
• Part of Fubo's strategy to expand and diversify its ad inventory

Fubo's platform statistics:

• Aggregates over 400 live sports, news, and entertainment networks
• Claims to offer every Nielsen-rated sports channel in the U.S.
• Operates in the U.S., Canada, Spain, and France
• First vMVPD to launch 4K streaming and MultiView features
• Recently introduced AI-powered Instant Headlines feature