2026 Ultimate Guide to Connected TV Ad Formats: What Every MENA Marketer Needs to Know

Connected TV refers to any television set that accesses content via the internet, bypassing traditional broadcast or cable. This includes smart TVs with built-in operating systems, like LG’s webOS and TCL’s Falcon OS, as well as external streaming devices.

Unlike traditional TV commercials that are broadcast to broad, undefined audiences, CTV enables highly targeted ads, ensuring your message reaches the right people at the right time. That is the fundamental value proposition for digital marketers: the emotional impact of a large-screen television combined with the precision and accountability of digital advertising

The Two Hardware Giants Shaping CTV in MENA: LG and TCL

Before diving into ad formats, it is essential to understand the two platforms that matter most for MENA advertisers today.

LG Ad Solutions: Performance-First, Data-Driven CTV

LG is one of the dominant smart TV manufacturers globally, and its advertising arm, LG Ad Solutions, is actively pushing the boundaries of what CTV advertising can deliver.

LG’s ecosystem reaches 45 million Smart TVs and over 336 million connected devices in the US alone, powered by first-party ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) data that provides deterministic, real-time insights into viewer behaviour. In MENA, LG’s webOS-powered smart TVs are widely distributed across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and beyond, making it a core inventory source for regional advertisers.

At the 2026 IAB NewFronts, LG Ad Solutions unveiled its “Own the Outcome” framework, designed to improve accountability in CTV advertising by introducing benchmark categories across brand impact, post-exposure actions, and on-screen conversion, giving advertisers clearer measurement standards and a stronger link between campaign performance and business outcomes.

This is a significant development for MENA marketers who have historically struggled to justify CTV investment due to measurement gaps. LG is directly solving for that.

TCL Ads: Hardware-Level Access at Global Scale

TCL is the world’s second-largest TV manufacturer by shipments and has built a powerful, vertically integrated advertising platform through its FFalcon internet services division.

Unlike third-party apps, TCL Ads operates at the hardware level, providing unique first-party insights into viewing behaviours and preferences, and is supported by the technical expertise of TCL Electronics and the digital capabilities of Tencent, offering a robust platform for data-driven storytelling.

Most recently, TCL FFalcon partnered with Affinity to offer programmatic ad access across its smart TV ecosystem in over 160 countries which is considered to be a move that signals how seriously TCL is investing in global programmatic infrastructure. 

The Complete Guide to CTV Ad Formats in 2026

Understanding the formats available is the foundation of any effective CTV strategy. Here is every major format ,what it is, how it works, and where it fits on LG and TCL.

1. Pre-Roll and Mid-Roll Video Ads (Standard In-Stream)

What it is: Video ads that play before (pre-roll) or during (mid-roll) streaming content, similar to YouTube ads but on the TV screen.

Why it works: CTV provides access to large, captivated audiences in a “lean-back” setting natively designed for immersive, full-screen storytelling, with the advertisement occupying 100% of the viewer’s field of vision. 

Best for: Brand awareness, product launches, reach campaigns.

On LG and TCL: Both platforms offer standard in-stream video inventory through their native streaming apps and FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels. TCL’s FAST apps are delivered to over 100 million devices globally with daily active viewership averaging over 240 minutes per session.

Pro tip for MENA marketers: Aim for 15- or 30-second non-skippable formats for maximum completion rates. Completion rates on CTV are significantly higher than mobile or desktop video due to the lean-back viewing environment.

2. Home Screen / Launch Screen Ads

What it is: Premium placements that appear the moment a viewer turns on their smart TV, on the home screen or during device startup, before any content is selected.

Why it works: This is the highest-visibility placement in all of CTV. The viewer has not yet chosen what to watch, so the home screen is undivided attention.

On LG: LG Ad Solutions introduced a new seamless home screen ad experience that integrates full-frame video into the LG TV interface at startup, expected to roll out globally later in 2026. LG also offers expanded programmatic access to home screen inventory through Programmatic Guaranteed and private marketplace (PMP) deals. 

On TCL: The Home Screen Masthead is TCL’s most premium advertising property, displayed the moment a user switches on their TV, guaranteeing unmatched visibility and brand recall. An interactive Masthead option combines video and banner elements to create an immersive homepage experience.

Best for: Major product launches, campaign bursts, high-reach brand moments (Ramadan campaigns, national day activations).

3. Pause Ads

What it is: Ads that appear on screen when a viewer pauses their content. These are non-intrusive, static or lightly animated placements that fill the paused screen with brand messaging.

Why it works: Pause ads deliver a 34% lift in unaided recall, per BrightLine data cited by eMarketer, because they appear during a natural moment of intent, the viewer chose to stop. These ads are inherently non-disruptive and achieve high receptivity. 

As CTV fragments across platforms, pause ads represent one of the few standardisable formats available across services. This makes them especially valuable for multi-platform campaigns. 

Best for: Retail, FMCG, automotive, any brand that benefits from a calm, considered brand impression.

4. Screensaver Ads

What it is: Brand placements that appear when a smart TV has been idle for a set period of time and activates its screensaver mode.

Why it works: The viewer is still in the room, they have simply stepped away briefly. Screensaver real estate offers passive, ambient brand exposure.

On LG: LG recently introduced screensaver ad formats as part of its expanding suite of non-interruptive CTV inventory

On TCL: This new format has been introduced recently to TCL Ad formats, when the TV is idle the whole screen is taken by an ad 

Best for: Lifestyle brands, luxury, real estate, formats where ambient, beautiful visuals do the work.

5. Interactive CTV Ads (QR Codes, L-Bars, Carousels)

What it is: Ads that invite viewer interaction — through QR codes that connect the TV to a smartphone, L-shaped overlay banners (L-bars), interactive carousels, or choice-based video overlays.

Why it works: Engagement rates for interactive CTV formats reached 1.94% in Q2 2025, nearly doubling year-over-year, proving that viewers are increasingly willing to interact with content on their own terms. These formats boost unaided recall by 36% and brand affinity by 33%. Equativ

On LG: LG Ad Solutions supports dynamic creative formats including QR codes, L-Bar overlays, and its Impulse format, all designed to enhance and amplify brand messages at the home screen level.

On TCL: LG and TCL both support engaging ad formats such as interactive carousels, 3D ads, and QR codes, which make CTV campaigns far more memorable. 

Best for: E-commerce, direct response, app installs, promotions, any campaign that needs a measurable action from a TV ad.

Pro tip for MENA marketers: QR codes on TV are particularly powerful during Ramadan and peak shopping seasons when second-screening (using a phone while watching TV) is at its highest.

6. Rewarded Ads

What it is: Ads that give viewers something in exchange for watching, an ad-free episode, bonus content, or an in-app reward.

Why it works: Rewarded ads offer viewers incentives like ad-free episodes or bonus content in exchange for watching a full ad, and prove effective across upper-, mid-, and lower-funnel stages, creating high-receptivity environments.

Best for: Gaming, streaming subscriptions, loyalty programmes, FMCG sampling campaigns.

7. Native / Flow Ads

What it is: Ad units that are seamlessly integrated into the platform’s UI, designed to blend naturally with the streaming interface.

On TCL: TCL’s Flow Native options are seamlessly integrated within the TCL app, offering banner or video formats as an engaging experience that ensures enhanced visibility and interaction, making it ideal for driving impactful engagement in a native environment. 

Best for: Branded content campaigns, content promotion, streaming service subscriptions.

8. Programmatic CTV Ads (Addressable / Data-Driven)

What it is: CTV inventory bought and sold through automated programmatic systems, DSPs, SSPs, PMPs, and Programmatic Guaranteed deals, using audience data for precision targeting.

Why it works: Biddable CTV inventory reached an estimated 47% of the CTV market in 2025, a 40% increase from 2024, as programmatic activation meets surging demand. 

On LG: LG Ad Solutions offers first-party ACR data-powered targeting and programmatic access through private marketplace deals and Programmatic Guaranteed buys which gives advertisers the ability to reach specific audience segments at scale.

On TCL: TCL Ads works with over 60 SSP and DSP partners, giving brands and agencies direct, glass-level access to millions of households across its hardware ecosystem. TCL Ads

Best for: All campaign objectives. Programmatic is the buying mechanism, not the format and in 2026, it underpins nearly every CTV campaign.

CTV vs. Linear TV: A Quick Reference for MENA Marketers

5 Verified Tips for Running Effective CTV Campaigns in MENA

1. Lead with the home screen for awareness. Home Screen Masthead placements on LG and TCL deliver your message before a viewer has made any content choice. For brand awareness campaigns, especially during Ramadan or peak retail periods, this is your highest-impact placement.
2. Use QR codes as your second-screen bridge. MENA audiences are highly mobile-first. Pair your CTV creative with a QR code that drives viewers directly to a landing page, product page, or app download. This closes the loop between TV awareness and digital conversion.
3. Match your format to your funnel stage. Pre-roll and home screen ads drive awareness. Interactive and pause ads drive consideration. QR codes and rewarded formats drive action. Build your media plan with this progression in mind.
4. Invest in first-party data activation. Both LG and TCL offer first-party data targeting based on real viewing behaviour — not third-party cookies. In a post-cookie environment, this is some of the most reliable audience data available to MENA advertisers.
5. Don’t neglect creative length. For non-skippable pre-roll on CTV, 15 seconds is the most efficient format. For home screen and interactive units, ensure your message lands in the first 3 seconds. CTV viewers are engaged but not infinitely patient.

It’s Time to Run Your First CTV Campaign in MENA

ThePubverse is the exclusive CTV advertising partner for TCL Smart TVs across the Middle East, and a leading access point for LG inventory in the region. Whether you are a brand, agency, or media buyer, our team can help you plan, activate, and measure Connected TV campaigns that reach millions of households across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and beyond, on the biggest screen in the home.