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Why Tubi’s Bet on Shoppable Ads Changes Streaming Ads Forever

Paul Allen

02 Dec 2025 • 7 min read

Nearly 70% of US social media users scroll their phones while watching TV, creating a costly attention gap for streamers like Tubi. The free streaming service, popular with millennials and Gen Z, is betting on this distraction with shoppable ads that turn passive viewers into instant consumers. But the real story is how Tubi transforms second-screen scrolling from a threat into a direct commerce lever. "Turning viewers’ phones into sales engines disrupts traditional ad scarcity," says marketing chief Nicole Parlapiano.

Conventional wisdom mistakes distraction for lost value

The prevailing idea is that second-screen viewing — scrolling on phones during TV shows — dilutes ad impact and drives ad dollars away from streaming platforms. Advertisers fear wasted impressions and lower recall, especially among younger audiences most attached to multitasking.

But this view treats ads as static billboards rather than interactive triggers. It overlooks the invisible constraint: the single-screen ad break. Tubi challenges this with ads that immediately convert attention into actions through QR codes and social hooks, sidestepping the attention scarcity trap. This reframes audience multitasking as a system design advantage — a key leverage shift.

See how companies like Disney+ and Hulu also experiment with interactive ads, but Tubi doubles down on youth-heavy segments to compound this edge. Unlike conventional ad buys prone to $8-15 per install costs on platforms like Instagram or Meta, Tubi pushes viewers to instant shopping without costly redirects.

Internal analyses such as why salespeople underuse LinkedIn highlight similar overlooked channels ripe for activation rather than passive reliance — the same principle at work in Tubi’s approach.

How shoppable ads work as compounding leverage mechanisms

Interactive placements on Tubi leverage the dual-screen habit directly: viewers see QR codes or actionable prompts during ad breaks and use smartphones to engage instantly. This shifts ad recall from speculative memory to measurable engagement.

Research from BrightLine and EMARKETER confirms that these ads increase brand recall by 36% and significantly raise brand affinity — a rare combination in advertising. This leverage arises because the system converts distraction into a buying pulse, integrating shopping into a moment traditionally lost to multitasking.

Tubi thus converts its biggest constraint — viewers’ split attention — into an asset that drives measurable conversions at scale.

Contrast this with traditional CTV ads where marketers must wait for delayed conversions or guess impact through indirect metrics. Tubi’s model tightly couples attention with purchase, creating a new kind of compounding ad ROI that rivals social media’s immediacy but emerges in streaming environments.

Relatedly, OpenAI’s user scaling shows how designing for natural multitasking behavior can unlock vastly more engagement than forcing undivided attention.

Why this changes the ad constraint and who wins next

The fundamental constraint in ad leverage is controlled attention—how to convert it efficiently without relying on captive audiences. Tubi’s interactive shoppable ads recast that challenge, embedding commerce actions in the flow viewers already follow on phone and TV simultaneously.

This demands strategic moves beyond placing ads: it requires integrating platforms, data, and direct commerce hooks into the viewing experience itself. Marketers who lean into this can lower acquisition costs and build brands with real-time, emotion-driven interactions rather than distant impressions.

Markets with heavy mobile and streaming usage, especially the US and developed Asia-Pacific, will see rapid adoption of this model. Tubi’s execution signals that free, ad-supported streaming platforms can build moats not by fighting multitasking but by designing systems that thrive on it.

"Brands must stop fighting distraction and start turning it into direct action," Parlapiano’s approach underscores. For streamers, the payoff is not just survival — it’s unlocking a compounding commerce lever that reshapes digital ad economics.

For marketers looking to optimize their ad strategies and immediately measure the impact of interactive ads like those implemented by Tubi, platforms like Hyros are essential. With advanced ad tracking and attribution tools, you can see real-time ROI on your campaigns, enabling you to turn viewer engagement into substantial conversions. Learn more about Hyros →

Full Transparency: Some links in this article are affiliate partnerships. If you find value in the tools we recommend and decide to try them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools that align with the strategic thinking we share here. Think of it as supporting independent business analysis while discovering leverage in your own operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are shoppable ads and how do they work on streaming platforms like Tubi?

Shoppable ads on Tubi integrate QR codes and prompts during ad breaks that allow viewers to instantly engage and shop using their smartphones. This transforms traditional passive ad viewing into immediate consumer actions by leveraging viewers' multitasking habits.

How does Tubi's approach to ads differ from traditional TV ads?

Unlike traditional TV ads that rely on single-screen attention, Tubi uses interactive shoppable ads that convert viewers’ split attention into measurable engagement. This approach increases brand recall by 36% and allows for real-time purchase tracking rather than delayed or speculative conversion metrics.

Why is second-screen usage considered an advantage for Tubi instead of a distraction?

Rather than seeing second-screen usage as lost attention, Tubi leverages it by embedding commerce actions viewers can perform simultaneously on their phones. This turns what was once a distraction into a direct commerce lever that drives conversions and lowers acquisition costs.

Which audience segments does Tubi primarily target with its shoppable ads?

Tubi focuses on youth-heavy segments such as millennials and Gen Z, who are most likely to multitask by scrolling their phones while watching TV. This demographic is more responsive to interactive ads, making Tubi’s strategy particularly effective.

What impact do shoppable ads have on brand recall and affinity according to research?

Research from BrightLine and EMARKETER shows that shoppable ads used by Tubi increase brand recall by 36% and significantly enhance brand affinity, combining immediate engagement with emotional connection in advertising.

Tubi's method reduces acquisition costs by avoiding costly redirects typical on platforms like Instagram or Meta, which can have $8-15 per install costs. Instead, viewers are pushed toward instant shopping within the streaming experience, improving ROI through direct commerce.

What are the strategic implications of Tubi's ad model for marketers?

Marketers must integrate platforms, data, and direct commerce hooks into ad experiences to thrive on multitasking behavior. This real-time, emotion-driven interaction approach helps lower acquisition costs and builds stronger brands beyond traditional impression-based models.

Where is the adoption of interactive shoppable ads like Tubi's expected to grow?

Markets with high mobile and streaming usage such as the US and developed Asia-Pacific regions are expected to see rapid adoption of interactive shoppable ads, signifying a shift in how free ad-supported streaming platforms attract and monetize viewers.