YouTube unveils new ad format with an interactive product feed
What's the story
YouTube unveiled an interesting ad format during its Upfront presentation, while pitching to advertisers. The new shoppable connected TV (CTV) offering comes with an interactive product feed. With this, YouTube recognizes the trend of viewers scrolling through social media or shopping online on their phones while watching videos on bigger screens.
Ad functionality
How the interactive product feed works
The new shoppable format lets advertisers showcase products on the right side of the TV screen during ads. The interactive feed acts as a storefront for brands, letting viewers browse through several products with their remotes. When a viewer picks an item, they're asked to scan a QR code with their smartphone for direct purchase access. There's also an option to send the link of all products at once to phones for shopping convenience.
Market position
YouTube's dominance in TV viewing
YouTube has become the go-to platform for watching TV. As per media audience measurement firm Nielsen, YouTube has been the number one platform for streaming watch time in the US for more than two years, beating rivals like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video. YouTube's internal data shows that TVs were the number one device for watching YouTube in the US in Q1 2025.
Brand engagement
YouTube as a brand information source
A survey, highlighted by YouTube, noted that US participants ranked it as number one platform for looking up information about brands. This just goes on to show how effective YouTube's advertising strategies are and how it continues to be a major player in brand promotion.