Last month, Ars Technica went on a deep dive into the rapid growth of
ads in TV software. Less than three weeks later, LG announced that it was adding advertisements to its TVs’ screensavers. The move embodies how ads are a growing and virtually inescapable part of the TV-viewing experience—even when you're not watching anything.
As you might have expected, LG didn’t make a big, splashy announcement to consumers or LG TV owners about this new ad format. Instead, and ostensibly strategically, the September 5 announcement was made to advertisers. LG appears to know that screensaver ads aren't a feature that excites users. Still, it and many other TV makers are happy to shove ads into the software of already-purchased devices.
LG TV owners may have already spotted the ads or learned about them via
FlatpanelsHD, which today reported seeing a full-screen ad on the screensaver for LG's latest flagship TV, the G4. “The ad appeared before the conventional screensaver kicks in," per the website, “and was localized to the region the TV was set to.” (You can see images that FlatpanelsHD provided of the ads
here,
here, and
here.) The reviewer reported seeing an ad for LG’s free ad-supported streaming channel, LG Channels, as well as third-party ads.
LG has put these ads on by default, according to FlatpanelsHD, but you can disable them in the TVs' settings. Still, the introduction of ads during a screensaver, shown during a pause in TV viewing that some TVs use as an opportunity to show art or personal photos that amplify the space, illustrates the high priority that ad dollars and tracking have among today’s TVs—even new top-of-the-line ones.
According to LG’s ads arm, LG AD Solutions, the screensaver ads activate “across the home screen, LG Channels, and Content Store on LG smart TVs." The point is to capitalize "on idle screen time, turning what may be perceived as a period of downtime into a valuable engagement opportunity.” LG AD Solutions claims that it has commissioned testing showing that screensaver ads drive “on average a 2.5 times higher lift in brand awareness.”
In a statement, LG AD Solutions CTO Dave Rudnick seemed to acknowledge that people whose TVs are showing screensavers are often trying to do something other than look at adverts.
“In the past, a screensaver ad might have indicated that viewers had left the room, but today’s viewing habits are markedly different," he said. "Now, 93 percent of viewers multitask while watching TV, engaging in activities like messaging, shopping, browsing social media, or playing games on their phones."
