Smart TV home screen emerges as prime attention driver in CTV

LG Ad Solutions has released findings showing that the Smart TV Home Screen has become a pivotal moment for audience attention, positioning it as a critical space for advertisers seeking stronger brand impact in Connected TV environments.

As streaming reshaped viewing habits, the long-valued first in break position has shifted to what LG Ad Solutions identifies as the first on screen moment. With viewers beginning every session on the Home Screen, advertisers are increasingly prioritizing this entry point to influence discovery and decision-making.

Home Screen becomes the centre of the viewing journey

Tony Marlow, Chief Marketing Officer, LG Ad Solutions: “If you think about how people actually use their TVs today, everything starts on the Home Screen. It’s the heartbeat of CTV — the one place that connects every part of the viewing journey, from live and on-demand to apps and discovery. For advertisers, it’s no longer just another placement; it’s the anchor that ties their entire strategy together.”

Viewers now spend close to ten minutes browsing before choosing content, underscoring the importance of this pre-content moment. Research from LG Ad Solutions shows that 71 percent of people exposed to a Home Screen ad are open to learning more about the brand, and 51 percent of LG TV users pay attention to these ads.

Why first impressions carry weight

The advantage of the Home Screen aligns with the Primacy Effect, a psychological principle indicating that information seen first is remembered more clearly. This translates into measurable attention: Home Screen ads average seven seconds of attentive viewing and deliver higher retention and stronger ad ratings compared with standard digital placements. Eighty-five percent of viewers describe these ads as clear, informative, and brand-building.

Advertisers are responding accordingly. LG Ad Solutions reports more than sixty percent year-over-year growth in general-market brands incorporating Home Screen placements into their campaigns.

Creative formats that influence behaviour

LG Ad Solutions’ analysis of 120 million impressions highlights the Home Screen as a versatile creative space. Interactive features drive 3.9 times higher awareness, human-centred creative increases brand consideration by 3.8 times, and calls-to-action placed on the right third of the screen lift purchase intent by 15 times.

Nearly all LG Smart TV users begin their viewing journey on the Home Screen, visiting it an average of three times a day. Research from LG Ad Solutions and MediaScience indicates that campaigns using CTV Video, Home Screen, and Mobile Video together deliver significantly stronger results, including 4.7 times higher awareness and 8.7 times stronger recall.

A platform for measurable brand impact

Steve Hartmann, Head of Integrated Marketing, Experian: “We’ve used the LG home screen to effectively extend our reach and create brand awareness and favorability. As the first brand a viewer sees when they turn on their TV, these placements consistently drove a significant lift in ad recall while reaching millions of incremental households for a recent campaign.”

Mike Laband, Group SVP, US Revenue, Magnite: “As the streaming advertising industry continues to evolve beyond traditional ad breaks, we’ve seen a growing advertiser demand for ways to connect with audiences at the very beginning of the viewing journey, where intent and attention are at their peak. LG Ad Solutions’ Home Screen offering represents a premium entry point for brands to build meaningful, measurable connections with viewers.”

Doug Paladino, Senior Director, PMG: “The LG Ad Solutions native homescreen has become a key awareness strategy for driving impact at scale. We get high attention and resonance as the first brand a user sees when they turn on their TV, strong brand lift metrics and incremental reach to hard-to-find SVOD-only audiences. These placements have proven effective for our campaign goals.”

The full report can be accessed here

www.lgads.tv

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