TV commercials aren’t what they used to be. With all the cord-cutting and streaming services available today, it’s getting harder than ever to capture consumers’ attention with traditional 30-second spots. 

But there’s good news – we have more options than ever when it comes to innovative ad formats that go beyond the classic TV commercial. In this post, we’ll explore 10 cutting-edge video ad approaches that savvy marketers should test out this year. 

You’ll learn how brands are using fresh formats like native advertising, interactive ads, influencer partnerships, virtual product placement, and more to organically connect with audiences across devices and channels. The consumers have evolved, and so must our ad strategies.

Native Advertising

Native advertising is all about creating branded ads that don’t look and feel like ads. Instead, they’re designed to match the natural form and style of the platform they appear on.

For example, promoted tweets seamlessly blend right into your Twitter feed. Sponsored editorial content matches the look and tone of the publication it runs on. This makes native ads less disruptive and annoyed viewers less. 

Studies show native ads garner over 60% more visual attention compared to banner ads. Brands like Airbnb and TOMS shoes have created engaging native video campaigns on Youtube and Facebook that feel like natural content but promote their products.

When done right, native ads don’t come off as salesy or intrusive. They add value for the viewer and subtly influence consideration. Definitely an option worth testing this year.

Interactive Ads

Gone are the days of just passively watching commercials. Interactive ads allow viewers to directly interact with the TV spot and influence their experience.

Some interactive ad options to test include:

– Augmented reality features that bring products into your living room

– Hashtags that encourage social conversation and engagement  

– Polls and voting to share preferences and opinions

– Mini-games and trivia related to the product

– Shoppable tags to purchase items directly from the ad

For example, Nike and Pepsi have run successful interactive ads incorporating polls and augmented reality. Data shows interactive ads boost engagement time by over 5X.

Testing these formats could help make your TV ads more participatory experiences rather than passive one-way messaging.

Shoppable Ads

We all get tempted to buy products we see on TV. Shoppable video ads take that impulse and turn it into instant action.

Platforms like Roku have introduced shoppable ads that let you add items to your cart and checkout directly from the video ad itself, with just a click. No more scrolling and Googling to find the product you just saw. The convenience turns ad views into conversions. 

Retail brands like Walmart and QVC have leveraged shoppable video to drive purchase instead of just brand-building. For direct-to-consumer brands, it can be a powerful driver of performance. 

According to research, shoppable ads increase purchase intent by 30%. They also provide helpful sales lift measurement – a nice bonus over regular TV spots.

Definitely an emerging format to test out this year.

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH)

When people think OOH ads, they usually think of static billboards or bus shelter ads. But the digital revolution has taken over outdoor advertising too.

DOOH refers to digital outdoor media like:

– Screens in airports, gas stations, malls and transit stations

– Digital urban billboards and murals

– Interactive kiosks and experiential displays

With flexibility and advanced targeting, DOOH helps brands stand out. Screens can display dynamic, timely messages or even targeted ads based on facial analysis of viewers.

For example, Dunkin’ leveraged geofencing and creative personalization to display different ads to DD Perks members near locations. DOOH can also integrate online and offline actions by encouraging smartphone interaction.

According to PwC, DOOH media spend is growing at around 13% per year – more than any other ad format. As viewing habits shift to mobile, DOOH represents a flexible, eye-catching complement to consider.

Streaming Commercials 

Streaming TV has boomed. Ad-supported services like Hulu, Peacock and Youtube are where more people (especially younger demographics) are gravitating to.

For brands, advertising on streaming TV is a major opportunity:

– It provides broad reach against cord-cutter households.

– You can target specific consumer interests and behaviors.

– Performance is measurable, so ads can be optimized.

– Viewability and completion rates are very high.

Petcare brand Blue Buffalo saw a 19% sales increase from a targeted Roku streaming campaign. And platforms like Hulu allow you to test different creative variants and offers based on response.

As traditional TV viewership declines, streaming TV ads help brands reconnect with missing audiences. The combination of scale and precision makes it very alluring. Worth exploring this year.

Social Video Ads

People watch a staggering amount of video on social media today. Just on Facebook, people watch 140 million hours of Instagram Reels per day. With TikTok exploding as well, social video represents a huge potential channel.

Some advantages of social video ads:

– They reach users where they’re already watching video.

– You can target niche demographics and interests.  

– Instantly measurable results and optimization

– Organic sharing and viral growth potential

Instagram and TikTok now offer a variety of ad formats from short videos to Stories to influencer partnerships. 

Best practices include: Keeping videos short (5-15 secs), using captivating visuals, testing different formats and placements. Leverage organic sharing features.

With strategic testing and audience targeting, social video ads offer a compelling way for brands to scale their video efforts this year.

Influencer Marketing

Partnering with popular social media creators and influencers provides a new way for brands to tap into highly engaged organic audiences.

It leverages the influencer’s personality and credibility to promote products to their followers, in an authentic way.

Using relevant influencers helps brands:

– Reach very specific niches organically

– Benefit from personal recommendations 

– See higher engagement and word-of-mouth

Fashion and beauty brands often drive awareness through influencer partnerships. But even brands like Whole Foods and Lowe’s successfully team up with micro-influencers in their field.

Tracking engagement rates, conversions, and ROI metrics from influencer content is key to optimizing spend. But the organic multiplication can be invaluable.

Virtual Product Placement 

Virtual worlds like games and metaverses are growing fast. That creates new opportunities for brands to organically place products.

Examples of virtual product placement include:

– Integrating branded clothes or items into video games

– Partnering with influencer avatars/vloggers

– Paid promotional placements in digital worlds  

Luxury brand Moncler created a digital branded jacket for avatars in Animal Crossing. And brands like Balenciaga are product placing in metaverses like Fortnite.

As interactive digital experiences become more immersed, virtual product placement provides a fresh way to organically integrate brands and touch younger demographics. Definitely an emerging opportunity.

The Takeaway

With consumer attention splintering across devices and channels, brands need to diversify beyond buying traditional 30-second TV spots today. Testing and optimizing innovative digital video ad formats allows you to reach audiences in more relevant, engaging ways across their customer journey.

Formats like native advertising, interactive ads, DOOH media, influencer content, shoppable video, and virtual product placement present fresh opportunities for brands this year. Measure results, double down on what works, and keep evolving your strategies along with consumer behaviors.

By expanding beyond conventional TV, brands can drive greater relevance, engagement and sales with modern audiences. The future of video advertising is multifaceted and dynamic. Will you seize the opportunity?