ZEE5 to Launch Pause Ads for AVoD Users, Following Disney+ Hotstar

ZEE5 will soon be launching pause ads on its platform. A pause ad is an advertisement that appears when a user has paused the content.

Manish Kalra, chief business officer, ZEE5, said only AVoD users will be shown these ads.

In June, Disney+ Hotstar introduced ‘Pause Ads’ exclusively for its Connected TV (CTV) feed, becoming the first platform in the country to implement this format.

Pause ads offer two main advantages: they reach the audience without interrupting their content viewing experience and provide an innovative way to stand out from the clutter.

“On average, users pause content 4-5 times a day, with over 90% of these pauses lasting less than 10 seconds,” it said in a press release.

However, unlike ZEE5, Disney+ Hotstar pause ads reach the subscribers, offering a premium audience to the advertisers. This also allows it to charge marginally higher ad rates.

Disney+ Hotstar introduced this feature in India taking a leaf from its US counterpart Hulu, which began testing Pause Ads in 2019.

Speaking about ZEE5’s other advertising opportunities, Kalra said it has introduced contextual advertising and content integration. “We are now allowing brands to be placed within content at relevant points. Standard CTR-based and purchase-based solutions are also available. We see significant interest from both large corporations and small to medium enterprises,” he said.

It has a dedicated section for brand-integrated content. Its team creates content featuring popular TV and OTT artists and influencers, specifically tailored for brands.