Enhanced Pre-Roll Video Advertising
Reimagining In-Stream Video to Drive Attention, Awareness, and Brand Impact
Role
Lead Interactive Designer
Timeline
2021-2023
Skills
User Research & Analyst
Usability Testing
Prototyping
Category
Video Ad Product
The Problem
Standard pre-roll video ads were under-utilized, often ignored by users, and delivering low engagement and brand lift — despite the massive amount of time consumers spend watching short-form video content.
How might we transform pre-roll video from a static, interruptive ad format into an engaging, memorable, and emotionally resonant experience that strengthens brand awareness and drives measurable user action?
User Research
We started by aligning with product and insights teams to understand user video-watching habits and industry performance benchmarks: consumers are exposed to a high volume of pre-roll ads daily, but standard formats deliver limited attention and creative impact. Comparing enhanced creative formats to baseline pre-roll revealed that richer executions increase brand awareness, favorability, and purchase intent while reducing irritation and increasing memorability.
Persona
Alex Morgan
“If an ad feels thoughtful and fits the moment, I’ll pay attention. If it interrupts me, I’m already done.”
Age - 34 years old
Occupation - Marketing Manager
Backgrounds
Alex is a digitally savvy professional who consumes short-form video throughout the day across mobile, tablet, and desktop—during commutes, work breaks, and evenings at home. They are constantly exposed to video ads and have developed a strong filter for what deserves attention. Generic, repetitive pre-roll ads are quickly ignored, while visually rich and contextually relevant creative has a better chance of breaking through. Alex values good design and appreciates brands that respect their time and attention.
Goal
Alex wants to consume content efficiently without unnecessary interruptions, while still discovering products and brands that genuinely align with their interests and lifestyle. They are open to advertising when it feels intentional, well-crafted, and emotionally engaging. Above all, Alex values experiences that feel integrated into the content rather than forced pauses that disrupt the flow of viewing.
Behaviors
Alex watches short-form video daily across multiple devices and platforms. They instinctively tune out or skip ads that feel loud, intrusive, or repetitive, but will engage with creative that feels premium, visually compelling, or interactive in a subtle way. Ads that add context, tell a story quickly, or feel like an extension of the content are more likely to earn their attention and leave a lasting impression.
Opportunities
Creative Space Matters
Surrounding video assets with supplementary brand imagery and messaging increases recall and consideration.
Interaction Drives Affinity
Subtle interactive elements and motion can shift pre-roll from passive to engaging.
Audience Perception Improves Metrics
Enhanced formats were found to be more memorable, less irritating, and more enjoyable than standard pre-roll, leading to better brand metrics.
Concepts
To capture these opportunities, we developed three distinct enhanced pre-roll executions:
Branded Canvas
Expands the creative space with supporting imagery and messaging
Split Card
Places rich visuals alongside the video to drive focus and product storytelling
Interactive
Introduces subtle motion and engagement points to deepen emotional connection and user interaction
Design Iteration
Branded Canvas
Extends the video frame with surrounding brand imagery, color, and messaging to create a cohesive visual environment.
Provides additional storytelling space without interrupting or competing with the video playback.
Designed to reinforce brand identity and key messages at a glance.
Optimized for brand awareness and message recall, particularly in high-reach placements.
Maintains a clean, respectful user experience by keeping the video as the primary focal point.
Split Card
Divides the layout to place rich visuals, product imagery, or messaging alongside the video.
Creates clear hierarchy between storytelling (video) and supporting content (product or promotion).
Ideal for showcasing products, highlighting features, or introducing calls to action.
Optimized for consideration intent and discoverability, bridging awareness and action.
Uses balanced composition to naturally guide user attention across both areas.
Interactive
Layers subtle motion and interactive cues directly into the video experience.
Invites users to engage without disrupting content flow or forcing interaction.
Adds personality and playfulness while maintaining brand tone and clarity.
Optimized for brand affinity and commerce-driven outcomes.
Encourages emotional connection through responsive, engaging moments.
Solution Summary
The final Enhanced Pre-Roll suite transformed traditional pre-roll from a static, often skippable ad into a diversified set of high-impact video formats that deliver richer brand storytelling and drive real engagement. Each format balances premium creative with thoughtful UX — enabling brand goals from awareness to consideration to affinity — while preserving a respectful user experience that avoids disruption.
Impact
Enhanced formats delivered measurable lifts in key brand metrics vs. standard pre-roll:
Drove a 16% lift in brand awareness, increasing top-of-funnel visibility.
Improved brand favorability by 29%, strengthening positive perception.
Boosted purchase intent by 36%, signaling stronger consideration and action.
Consumers also reacted more positively to refined executions — finding them significantly more memorable, enjoyable, and less irritating than standard video units
Post-launch, the product expanded into Connected TV (CTV) via CORE (Create Once, Run Everywhere), evolving the pre-roll ecosystem across screens.
Key Takeaways
Respectful design increases attention
By enhancing rather than interrupting the viewing experience, pre-roll became something users were willing to watch, not skip.
Context is as powerful as content
Surrounding the video with thoughtful visual hierarchy and messaging significantly strengthened storytelling without competing for attention.
Small interactions create emotional lift
A modular approach to pre-roll formats made it possible to adapt across screens and placements while maintaining consistency and performance.
Yay! We've made it to the finish line. Say 👋 hi!
renee.kim0921@gmail.com
