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A writer has a blank page. A choreographer has an empty stage. For you – advertisers – The Roku Experience is your canvas.
As we gear up for Cannes Lions, our industry’s annual celebration of creativity, it’s a natural time to explore how advertisers can leverage Roku’s position as the lead-in to all TV to tell powerful messages that reach tens of millions of households. With exciting new ad formats and custom sponsorship opportunities, advertisers can unleash their creativity to capture attention and enrich the streaming experience.
"At Roku, we believe that creativity is the heartbeat of effective advertising. Our platform empowers advertisers to push boundaries and forge connections in ways that were previously unimaginable — and we’re excited to explore that with advertisers at Cannes this year," said Rachel Helfman, director of creative ad solutions at Roku.
Here’s what’s new and exciting on the Roku platform.
Roku’s expansive reach
Roku has become a staple in American households, with ads reaching an astounding number of viewers daily. On any given day, Roku reaches 120M people — be it a traditional video spot, home screen banner, or placement in our Roku City screensaver. It’s the kind of reach and scale that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Unlock powerful creative formats that drive content discovery
Streamers start their journeys on the Roku home screen, and many take their time browsing. Forty-four percent of streamers browse before making a selection, even though half of them have already decided what to watch.¹ Timberland took advantage of this opportunity to reach people before they start watching TV leveraging our Marquee Ads. This placement with The Roku Channel organic title drove nearly nearly 146,000 clicks into Timberland’s Movie and Show Playlist.²
The canvas continues to expand as we recently announced the addition of video to Marquee Ads, further pushing the boundaries of innovation on the largest screen in the home.
Curated, immersive touch points across the streaming journey
Treat streamers to immersive experiences they can’t get with linear TV. Our Sports Zone, for example, has become a habitual destination for streamers.
One advertiser who has effectively tapped into sports fandom is MINI. The brand sponsored a Game Day Guide for NCAA March Madness Tournament in 2023 with easy options to view games that were scattered across a variety of channels. The guide not only eased game accessibility but also offered a platform to showcase MINI's vibrant line-up of cars, sizes, colors, and features through an eye-catching ad experience. The campaign boosted visits to MINI dealer websites by 64%.³
Develop engaging branded content
Perhaps the ultimate canvas of advertiser creativity is the opportunity to develop your own original content that’s well produced, engaging, and far more immersive than a commercial.
For instance, SheaMoisture’s Roku Original The Next Black Millionaires authentically represented the diverse audiences the brand was aiming to reach. Home Depot was featured in segments of Jessica Alba’s show Honest Renovations, offering practical home improvement tips. And Ally Bank sponsored Side Hustlers, showcasing young women building burgeoning businesses.
Andrea Brimmer, chief marketer and PR officer at Ally lauded Roku’s brand integration opportunities, saying they “never really existed with linear.”
Creative opportunities in Roku City
Roku City, our imaginative screensaver with hidden movie and TV references, presents another vibrant playground for advertisers. Over the last year, Roku City has been home to many iconic brands with creative integrations.
For example, Disney+ added Taylor Swift’s tour bus to Roku City to promote The Era’s Tour movie. And last year, Barbie made a splash when the Barbie Dream House to Roku City.
With Roku City's fandom, we're exploring new ways with advertisers like you on how to drive performance and streamer delight.
"Roku is where technology meets imagination. We're not just streaming; we're pioneering new ways for brands to tell their stories creatively and compellingly. We provide the canvas to bring your vision to life." said Peter Hamilton, Roku’s senior director of advertising innovation.
Join us at Cannes
The Roku team is excited to return to Cannes Lions. Join us to explore the full potential of the Roku Experience and learn how to transform your creativity into remarkable results.
Stay connected with Roku Advertising to learn more about our platform and creative offerings.
¹ MAGNA Media Trials + Roku: From Power On to Power Off; 2024
² Kantar Millward Brown Brand Lift & Roku Brand Experience Insights Study; Campaign Dates: September – October 2023
³ Cox Automotive Car Buying Journey – 2022
