The smart TV home screen is becoming an increasingly important tool for film marketers, influencing both cinema attendance and at-home viewing decisions, according to new research from LG Ad Solutions.
The study of more than 1,000 UK connected TV users who regularly visit cinemas found that 93% had seen a new film promoted on their television home screen, while 35% said the promotion had influenced them to see the film at the cinema.
The research also suggests home screen advertising is helping drive transactional video-on-demand activity. Eighty per cent of respondents said they had been reminded that a film was available to rent or purchase after seeing a promotion on their television, while 56% said they had subsequently rented or bought a title.
Beyond direct viewing decisions, home screen promotions generated wider engagement. More than half of respondents said they watched a trailer after seeing a promotion, while 51% searched for additional information and 43% discussed the title with friends or family.
According to LG Ad Solutions, television remains the most influential medium for film discovery, cited by 68% of respondents and outperforming social media advertising by 15 percentage points.
The findings come as television manufacturers, operating system providers and streaming platforms increasingly focus on the home screen as a key monetisation opportunity. Recent initiatives from companies including LG, Roku, Titan OS and Equativ have sought to open premium home screen inventory to advertisers, reflecting growing recognition that content discovery often begins before viewers launch an application.
LG’s research suggests consumers are making viewing decisions early in the entertainment journey. The company found that 81% of cinema-goers check showtimes in advance, while 57% purchase tickets at least a day before attending.
Ben Orford, Head of Sales, Media & Entertainment Europe at LG Ad Solutions, said the television home screen had become a key point of influence for entertainment choices.
“Our research shows that the Smart TV Home Screen isn’t just a place where viewers start their entertainment journey, it’s where moviegoers are inspired to take action,”
he said.
The study follows previous LG research which found premium home screen advertising placements generated higher levels of brand consideration and ad recall than wider European benchmarks, underlining the growing value of connected TV operating systems as advertising platforms.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com