Interactive advertising on connected TVs is proving more than a gimmick, at least that’s what recent research indicates. According to a new BrightLine white paper, The Engagement Effect: How Interactivity Predicts CTV Success, ads with higher household engagement rates lead to stronger recall, deeper brand affinity, and a greater likelihood of purchase.
CTV ads stand for Connected TV ads, or web-enabled screen ads seen by streaming audiences, like an ad on a smart TV or smartphone. The research, conducted in partnership with MediaScience, tested 700 participants across a 30-minute streaming session containing 64 interactive ads and standard video ads. Each ad was sorted into engagement tiers (high, moderate, low) and evaluated for brand outcomes. The data was consistent across the board: interactivity matters.
BrightLine found that ads with the highest engagement levels averaged about 33% higher brand recall compared to those at the lowest tier (64% vs. 48%). That engagement translated into the sales funnel as well. Households in the high-engagement group reported a 55% purchase intent rate, compared to 42% for lower-engagement viewers. Even on weaker creative, simply adding interactive features like polls, trivia, or product carousels produced measurable gains.
“At a time when advertisers are demanding accountability from their media investments, this research confirms what we’ve long believed — interactivity drives stronger recall, deeper affinity, and higher purchase intent,” Jacqueline Corbelli, co-founder and chief executive officer of BrightLine, said in a prepared statement. “As viewers increasingly expect TV to be more than a passive experience, brands have a rare opportunity to turn curiosity into connection through interactivity.”
The white paper builds on BrightLine’s previous research showing that interactive ads deliver a 36% lift in unaided brand recall over standard video spots. This latest report goes further, tying levels of household engagement directly to full-funnel performance:
- +12% ad likeability
- +8% brand interest
- +4% brand favorability
Phillip Lomax, executive vice president at MediaScience, said in a prepared statement that the findings underscore how simple interactions can create stickier connections. “Interactive formats that empower viewers to engage directly, using something as simple as their remote, are key,” Lomax said. “Every measurable indicator, from awareness through purchase intent, improved through remote-control engagement. These findings suggest that interaction strengthens emotional and cognitive connections to a brand — helping advertisers build affinity, not just attention.”
With CTV continuing to draw streaming audiences at scale, BrightLine is positioning interactivity as a must-have feature for marketers navigating the evolving media landscape. For brands looking to maximize return on spend, engagement may prove to be the metric that matters most.