As streaming platforms fight for attention in an increasingly crowded living room, Xumo is betting that the most powerful ad moment doesn’t happen during a show—it happens before viewers even decide what to watch.
Xumo, the streaming platform jointly owned by Comcast and Charter Communications, has released a new research report arguing that connected TV (CTV) home screen ads deliver outsized impact for advertisers. Titled “Prime Real Estate: Why the Home Screen is a Winning Address for Advertisers,” the report combines consumer survey data, a campaign case study, and practical guidance aimed at brands navigating the evolving streaming ad landscape.
The takeaway is straightforward: when viewers are undecided, the home screen becomes a high-intent decision zone—and advertisers who show up there gain an advantage.
The Moment Before the Click
According to Xumo’s research, the majority of streaming sessions begin with uncertainty. More than 82% of viewers say they don’t always know what they want to watch when they turn on the TV. Even more telling, 65% spend at least six minutes browsing content before making a choice.
That “browse window” is where home screen ads live—and why Xumo sees them as prime real estate. Unlike mid-roll ads that interrupt content or banners that compete for attention, home screen ads occupy the focal point of the TV experience. They appear when viewers are relaxed, open to discovery, and actively making decisions.
Xumo argues that this moment allows advertisers to do more than just interrupt. Home screen ads can guide viewers toward relevant content, introduce new apps, or build brand associations tied directly to entertainment choices.
Performance That Rivals—and Beats—Traditional CTV Ads
The report backs up its thesis with campaign data. In a case study involving a subscription streaming service advertising on Xumo devices, viewers who were exposed to home screen ads were 142% more likely to sign up compared to viewers who didn’t see those ads.
Nearly half—47%—of all app sign-ups during the campaign were attributed directly to home screen ad exposure. For subscription-driven businesses, that level of performance puts home screen placements in a different category from awareness-only formats.
This performance helps explain why Xumo is seeing increased demand from:
- Subscription streaming services aiming to drive app installs and trials
- Content publishers promoting specific shows or collections
- Brands focused on upper-funnel awareness with contextual relevance
In each case, the ad isn’t fighting against the content experience—it’s embedded within it.
Less Disruptive, More Welcome
One of the long-standing challenges in CTV advertising is viewer tolerance. While streaming ads are generally more accepted than traditional TV commercials, repetition and disruption remain real risks.
Xumo’s survey data suggests home screen ads may avoid some of those pitfalls. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said home screen ads fit in seamlessly with the viewing experience. By comparison, only 50% felt the same about standard video ads, and 44% about banner-style overlays.
Home screen ads also scored higher on novelty. Nearly 59% of respondents described them as a unique or different ad format, compared with 47% for banners and 44% for traditional video ads. In a market where ad fatigue is rising, novelty alone can be a meaningful advantage.
The implication for advertisers is clear: formats that respect the viewer’s experience may earn more attention—and better outcomes—than those that simply force exposure.
Why the Home Screen Is Becoming Strategic Inventory
The growing importance of home screen ads reflects a broader shift in how streaming platforms think about monetization. As ad-supported tiers expand and competition for subscription dollars intensifies, platforms are re-evaluating where and how ads appear.
Home screens offer several strategic benefits:
- High visibility without interrupting content
- Natural contextual alignment with genres, moods, and viewing intent
- Clear calls to action, such as launching an app or starting a show
For advertisers, this creates a bridge between branding and performance—something traditional TV ads struggled to deliver consistently.
Xumo’s Head of Sales, Eli Zang, summed it up succinctly: effective ad formats surround the content, remain contextually relevant, and give viewers a clear next step. Whether that step is launching an app, watching a trailer, or redeeming an offer, the home screen makes the action feel intuitive rather than forced.
Competitive Context: Why This Matters Now
Xumo’s push comes at a time when the CTV ecosystem is recalibrating. Platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Samsung TV Plus have already turned home screens into monetization engines, using sponsored placements and branded content rows to drive revenue.
What differentiates Xumo’s pitch is its emphasis on measurable business outcomes rather than just visibility. By tying home screen exposure directly to sign-ups and conversions, Xumo is positioning this inventory as performance-capable—not merely premium branding space.
For advertisers navigating fragmented CTV environments and inconsistent measurement standards, that distinction matters. As media buyers demand clearer attribution and ROI, formats that can demonstrate downstream impact are likely to command higher budgets.
Implications for Advertisers and the AdTech Stack
From an AdTech perspective, home screen advertising also opens the door to more sophisticated targeting and measurement strategies. Because these ads sit at the intersection of device data, content metadata, and user behavior, they lend themselves to contextual relevance without relying heavily on personal identifiers.
That aligns neatly with industry-wide shifts toward privacy-conscious advertising models. Contextual CTV formats—especially those tied to content discovery—may become increasingly attractive as signal loss and regulation reshape digital advertising.
For advertisers, the message from Xumo is less about novelty and more about timing. Showing up when viewers are deciding, rather than interrupting once they’ve decided, may be the smarter play in the streaming era.
The Bottom Line
Xumo’s report reinforces a simple but powerful idea: in streaming, the first screen matters as much as the content itself. As viewers spend more time browsing and less time channel surfing, the home screen has become the new front door to television.
For advertisers willing to rethink where impact happens, that front door may turn out to be the most valuable address in CTV.
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Xumo research shows CTV home screen ads drive higher sign-ups and engagement, positioning them as prime ad real estate in the streaming era.
