ProSiebenSat.1 is extending its pause advertising format into linear television by using the open HbbTV standard, allowing advertisers to reach connected TV viewers with full-screen commercials outside traditional ad breaks.
The German broadcaster’s sales house Seven.One Media has launched the Pause Creative Fullscreen Package, combining Pause Ads on its streaming platform Joyn with HbbTV-based addressable TV placements on connected TVs.
On Joyn, the full-screen advertisement appears when viewers actively pause video-on-demand content. The new HbbTV component adds a SwitchIn full-screen placement in live television. When viewers tune to a ProSiebenSat.1 channel on a connected TV, the same advertisement is displayed for ten seconds in full-screen mode while the live programme continues in a reduced window with audio.
According to Seven.One Media, the combined package enables advertisers to extend the reach of campaigns across streaming and live television while maintaining exclusive placements outside conventional commercial breaks. Campaign availability will be limited each month to preserve the premium character of the format, stresses the broadcaster.
Dairy company Ehrmann is the first advertiser to use the new offering, promoting its Milk Twist product. The campaign targets young adults and will run until 23 August 2026 across Joyn and connected TVs.
“The Pause Ad has established itself as a high-attention advertising format in a very short time and we are seeing enormous demand from the advertising market,” said Markus Messerer, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Seven.One Media. “This shows that our customers have recognised the strength of the format: full attention outside the traditional commercial break. By expanding into addressable TV, we are consistently pursuing this approach, bringing it to live television for the first time and developing the product into a cross-channel offering with additional reach. At the same time, we are preserving the exclusive character of the advertising format.”
Benedikt Köck, Marketing Director at Ehrmann, added: “We want to reach young adults where their attention is greatest. Seven.One Media’s new bundle provides the ideal conditions for this. It combines the strengths of streaming and linear television in the connected TV environment and brings together high attention with additional reach. The combination of exclusive placement, full-screen presentation and cross-channel delivery makes the offering particularly attractive for us.”
The campaign is being implemented in cooperation with media agency Mediaplus International.
