Partnership marks the first in the surging CTV gaming category to enable interactive and dynamic ad experiences

BrightLine, the leader in interactive and dynamic connected TV (CTV) ad solutions, partnered with Play.Works, a leading connected TV games network to bring interactive ad formats to the extremely engaged audiences playing games on their CTV devices. The partnership marks the first media partner for BrightLine outside of premium video content, to include the fast-growing category of gaming, a truly unique and surging usage area for CTV audiences.

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The combination of interactive ad experiences, with a highly engaged audience promises attention attribution metrics unseen anywhere else, as viewers already have their remote control in hand, which doubles as the controller, and are therefore much more apt to interact with video ads accordingly. Advertisers benefit twofold, by reaching a new and growing area of CTV, while getting real time feedback from their ads in the form of interactivity. Viewers benefit too, as Play.Works’ engaging games combined with BrightLine’s interactive ad formats make for an enhanced experience all around, answering viewers’ increased appetite for in-app personalization and interactivity.

“Working with Play.Works brings tremendous value to advertisers because their gaming experience maintains the same full-screen, un-skippable video available in all of CTV, albeit to a viewer that’s in a lean forward mode, remote in hand, and ready to interact with brands,” says Rob Aksman, BrightLine’s President.

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Both companies are experiencing explosive growth as CTV usage has been taking off over the past year. And while most do not yet associate CTV devices with gaming – Play.Works saw a 200% increase in active users in the past year alone. It’s complemented well by BrightLine’s 120% growth in demand for interactive units.

“We have arguably the most engaged audiences on CTV, as viewers are playing with remote control in hand, so it’s no surprise brands would see their best interaction rates with BrightLine ads run across our properties,” said Jonathan Boltax, CEO of Play.Works, adding “and it’s important to note that our ads are still full screen video, appearing in between gaming levels, so it truly is the best of both worlds.”

The partnership allows brands to execute via direct or programmatic buying, and availability is currently through Roku, Comcast X1, and Comcast Flex devices, with more to come.

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