Peacock unveils new ad formats, bulks up content offering

NBCUniversal unveiled new ad formats for its marquee streaming service Peacock designed to further its commerce capabilities. Peacock is experimenting with the ability for brands to embed their ads into programming in post-production, such as on a billboard shown within a given frame. It also announced frame ads, which serve an ad as a frame around the content that includes purchase offers. The initiative is part of NBCUniversal’s expanding slate of commerce capabilities, including its recent partnership with commerce and delivery platform Gopuff. NBCU revealed the ad formats alongside its new content slate during its NewFront presentation in New York today, which included streaming Bravo shows the day after they air and a deal with Lionsgate for new movies. Starting today, Peacock's premium subscribers will be able to stream a number of current Bravo series—including "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and "Top Chef"—on the platform the day after they premiere on the linear network, while recently completed Bravo seasons will be available on-demand. Beginning in September, every Bravo series will be available to stream the next day. RSVP for Ad Age In-Depth: TV Pivot on May 24 and 25 at AdAge.com/TVPivot It’s a notable addition to the hybrid ad-supported service from a network that’s able to consistently spin-out series into popular franchises, perhaps most notably with its "Real Housewives" series. But its own originals have also helped prop up the service’s growth. NBCUniversal today called its "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reboot, "Bel-Air," Peacock’s “first truly brand-defining original drama,” noting that more than 8 million accounts have streamed the title to date. Peacock plans to double its content spend this year. The company also announced a multi-year agreement between Peacock and Lionsgate for all theatrically released films, beginning with the studio’s slate of 2022 titles. NBCU did not provide details on how long after the premiere of a movie in theaters it will air on Peacock. Separately, a multi-year deal between Peacock and Lionsgate will see movies stream exclusively on the streaming service during their second windowing period beginning in 2024. (Roku currently has second-window exclusivity rights with the studio in a recently announced deal that includes 2022 titles.) “These agreements affirm the great demand for first-run studio movies across every kind of platform—AVOD, SVOD, basic cable and FAST,” Jim Packer, Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution, said in a statement. “This partnership with Peacock shows our ability to capitalize on opportunities in today’s complex media landscape with a multifaceted, layered approach that meets everyone’s needs.” Lastly, in a move meant to bolster growth in an increasingly crowded streaming space, Peacock announced its first original films from Universal Pictures set to debut on the platform in 2023. These include: "Shooting Star," which stars Terence Winter and is an origins story about LeBron James; "Praise This," from Will Packer, about a new community church choir member who pushes her members in a hipper musical direction; and John Woo is set to re-imagine his 1989 crime thriller "The Killer" for the streaming service. "We know people join Peacock to watch movies, so we are constantly adding more to serve fans,” Kelly Campbell, president of Peacock and direct-to-consumer and international at NBCUniversal, said in a statement. “Together with the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, we are excited to deliver fresh, exclusive, original films next year to our customers in addition to the legendary Universal Pictures blockbuster films and beloved franchises streaming now."

Peacock unveils new ad formats, bulks up content offering

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