The Power Players: Who is Buying the Home Screen?

While the format is open to all, three specific sectors are currently dominating the UK’s native banner landscape in 2026:

CTV native banners, the integrated display units found on platforms like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Samsung TV Plus, have evolved into sophisticated, data-driven powerhouses. Here is an in-depth look at why UK brands are moving their budgets to the "dashboard."

1. The "Streamers" (Entertainment & Gaming)

For ITVX, Disney+, and Netflix, native banners are a survival tool. With ITVX reporting record-breaking streams in 2025, the competition for "what to watch next" is fierce. These brands use home screen banners to trigger immediate "click-to-watch" actions. Similarly, gaming giants like Xbox use these spots to target "lean-back" users, often featuring QR codes that allow a player to buy a game on their phone and have it download to their console instantly.

2. Retail Giants & FMCG

UK supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Boots are leveraging their Retail Media Networks (RMNs) to turn TVs into storefronts. By using first-party loyalty card data, a brand like Nescafé can ensure its banner only appears to households that haven't bought coffee in three weeks, effectively nudging the viewer right before they head out to the shops. In 2025, brands like Currys saw a 46% increase in conversions by integrating targeted CTV ads alongside display activity.

3. Service & Efficiency Brands

We’ve seen a massive surge from brands like Just Eat and Specsavers. For Just Eat, a native banner on a Friday evening is a high-intent prompt. By occupying the home screen, they catch the viewer exactly when they are deciding between cooking and ordering a takeaway.

The Strategic "Why": Beyond the 30-Second Spot

In the UK, where "ad-free" tiers are becoming the norm, native banners offer unique advantages:

1. Guaranteed "Gold Spot" Visibility

The CTV home screen is the digital equivalent of the cinema "gold spot." LG research indicates that viewers spend an average of nine minutes on the home screen before selecting content. Native banners ensure 100% reach during this "discovery phase," appearing before a user even enters an ad-free app like BBC iPlayer.

2. Hyper-Local Precision

Unlike traditional linear TV, which often requires broad regional buys, native banners allow for geo-targeting down to specific postcodes. A local Hyundai dealership can serve a banner specifically to high-income households within a 10-mile radius, personalising the creative based on family size and proximity to the showroom.

3. Combatting "Second Screening."

When a traditional 30-second commercial starts, most UK viewers reach for their phones. However, native banners are part of the User Interface (UI). Because they look like content recommendations, they benefit from "active attention" viewers are looking at them while navigating with their remote, not ignoring them during a break.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are CTV native banners only for big brands like Disney+? 

Not at all. While the giants use them for mass reach, many UK agencies now offer programmatic access for mid-market brands to target specific postcodes or demographics.

2. How do these ads handle the "Cookieless" future? 

CTV doesn't rely on cookies. In the UK, it uses IP addresses and Device IDs (like Samsung Service IDs), making it one of the most stable and privacy-compliant ways to target households in 2026.

3. Do people actually click on TV banners? 

While you can't "click" with a mouse, most native banners are "Remote-Clickable." They lead to a microsite within the TV or feature a QR code for immediate mobile interaction, which saw a 3x growth in usage last year.

4. What is the typical engagement rate for native banners? 

Interactive CTV ads in 2026 see engagement rates between 1.8% and 3.5%, significantly higher than traditional display banners, with users spending an average of 71 seconds of additional time with the brand.

5. Can I target my ads to specific regions in the UK? 

Yes. One of the biggest draws for UK advertisers is the ability to target by region, city, or even specific TV manufacturer (e.g., only LG owners) using first-party ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) data.