Shoppable TV viewers want value, not just vanity personalization: Roku & Dentsu study

Roku and Dentsu’s latest study reveals that while streamers appreciate personalized ads, tangible benefits like free delivery and relevant product integrations are what truly capture their attention and drive shopping from the TV screen.

Attention deficit: While over 80% of U.S. streamers value ads tailored to their shopping habits, only about a third actually focus on them, suggesting personalization alone doesn’t cut it. However, nearly three-quarters are more attentive to ads reflecting personal interests and those from brands they’ve previously bought.

Seamless sells: Weaving shopping directly into content is a winner, as nearly half of viewers expressed interest in ads allowing purchases of items seen in shows or live events, especially for clothing and electronics. Jeffrey Bustos at Dentsu’s Merkle noted, “It’s not just about making products clickable—we must create experiences that resonate and solve real needs.”

Recall rewards: Even without an immediate click-to-buy, interactive shoppable ads can greatly lift brand awareness. The Roku-Dentsu research found these formats deliver an almost 60% increase in unaided brand recall, building long-term brand value.

The wider stream: For shoppable TV to take off, advertisers need to offer clear incentives and contextually relevant experiences, moving beyond simple personalization to provide genuine value that makes viewers lean in and, potentially, click “buy.” Meanwhile, Roku continues to innovate on other fronts, recently refreshing its hardware lineup with new players and TVs and expanding its OS to smart projectors. The company is also bolstering its advertising capabilities with its self-serve Roku Ads Manager platform, aiming to provide a comprehensive toolkit for marketers.