NBCUniversal said the 60-second Prime Pods it introduced last year have been creating a more engaging experience for viewers and a higher likelihood that the advertised will get purchased.
The ad format is one of the ways NBCU has been trying to cut back on commercial loads while creating more effective advertising for its sponsors.
Research conducted for NBCU by Ameritest in the fourth quarter found that prime pods generated 28% more show engagement than traditional pods, 27% greater ad awareness, 21% increased brand interest and 8% more likelihood to purchase.
Related: NBCU to Reduce Ads Further, Prime Pods in More Shows
A qualitative study done by research company Greenberg found that viewers are more highly engaged with the ads and the content during Prime Pods resulting in a “halo effect’ for brands.
EDO, a research company co -founded by actor Ed Norton, found 12% more search engagement over benchmarks during prime pods, a performance that it said equates to 2.2 traditional units.
NBCU says that partly because of Prime Pods, which appeared in the most popular entertainment shows on the networks it owns, including This is Us, The Voice, The Good Place and Chicago P.D., those shows had 10% less commercial time.
The company said that in the future, it plans to expand the use of Prime Pods to its entire portfolio including news and late night programming.
NBCU said it plans to cut commercial time by another 10% in 2019 and reduce ad clutter by more than 20% during primetime by 2020.
