Hulu will soon show users ads when videos are paused

Hulu is preparing to roll out a new advertising format that users will notice when they pause a video.

The new advertising unit isn’t a video, like Hulu subscribers are accustomed to, but is similar to a pop-up. When a user pauses a video, an image will appear on-screen that acts as a transparent banner ad. An example can be seen above.

Vice president and head of advertising platforms Jeremy Helfand told TechCrunch the new ad format is like “a car billboard on the side of the road” that catches someone’s attention. The ad won’t appear until a few seconds after the user hits pause, and the goal is to keep the advertisement somewhat related to what people are watching. Helfand noted in a blog post on Hulu’s website that the company conducted research with users before rolling it out.

“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,” Helfand wrote. “These insights led us to take our current approach to pause ads, and the research so far has shown a positive response from viewers.”

Coca-Cola and Charmin have signed on as the two brands Hulu plans to work with during the beta period, which is expected to roll out in the coming months. The ads will only appear on select content during the trial run, according to Hulu’s blog post.