Owners of smart TVs and streaming sticks utilizing the Roku OS are familiar with video advertisements on the home screen. Recently, Roku has been testing an advanced advertising approach, potentially requiring users to watch a video ad before accessing the Roku OS home screen.
This week, reports emerged online from Roku customers who experienced video ads that played automatically before reaching the OS home screen. For instance, a Reddit user noted they saw an ad for a movie before accessing the usual Roku home screen. Several users reported seeing an ad for the movie Moana 2. Although the ads included an option to close, some users did not encounter it.
When contacted for a statement, a Roku spokesperson acknowledged that these autoplay ads are part of an experimental phase and not yet a permanent fixture of the Roku OS. The spokesperson stated that Roku consistently engages in testing and innovation related to design, navigation, content, and its advertising products, indicating that these tests are attempts to explore new ways to highlight brands and programming.
Roku did not respond to inquiries about the potential permanence of these autoplay ads, the affected devices, the rationale for introducing autoplay ads, or any customer feedback received.
Reactions to Roku’s advertising test have largely been negative, with many customers indicating they would discard their Roku devices if compelled to watch ads before accessing desired content. Commentary on Roku’s community forum expressed discontent, with some users terming the practice "unacceptable" and "intrusive."
Should Roku transition from static image ads to video ads with sound, it may challenge customer tolerance. Some users who tolerated static ads on unused screen areas might be less accepting of more disruptive advertising formats.
One Redditor mentioned that while they could tolerate static ads, forcing loud commercials was unpleasant. As a budget-friendly streaming hardware company, Roku has been noted for pushing boundaries with advertising and has even patented technology designed to display ads over any connected TV device, though it has not implemented this feature.
The market does offer less ad-intrusive smart TV platforms beyond Roku. However, avoiding ads is becoming increasingly challenging for smart TV users, with TV manufacturers—from budget to premium brands—relying more on ads and tracking to enhance revenue amid declining hardware prices, sales, and innovation, alongside rising competition.
