Underappreciated Screensavers: Do They Live Up to the Hype?
Have you ever given much thought to the humble screensaver? Probably not, but this little piece of technology has had a far greater role in the development of your computer than you may realize. Indeed, there is a very real reason why the screensaver earned its name and we will get to that, but first, we should talk about something very exciting: Connected Television (CTV).
Over the last 12 months, our media consumption behaviors have changed completely and more of us than ever before are getting our content from smart TVs and other connected devices. The pandemic made us all sit at home for long periods, and while it looks like COVID-19 might be beaten in the U.S. by the end of the year, the changes that have come about because of the virus look like they will become permanent. More of us will w*************, social distancing might stay in place for longer than expected, and we have all become used to watching our favorite on our beds, sofas, wherever we want.
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This is a great opportunity for advertisers who want to find new audiences for their content. There is now a huge captive market glued to their smart devices and TVs. “The simple screensaver, a piece of technology often forgotten about, now represents a brave new world for ad markets. The ability to customize screensavers to show ads and related content is going to be a big deal this year and going into 2022,” says Nick Platonenko, CEO at VlogBox.
The reason why we use the term ‘screensaver’ is that they actually did save computer screens from burning out. Old-style monitors using cathode-ray tubes and plasma technology were vulnerable to phosphor burn-in, discoloration of the screen caused by static images remaining on the screen for too long. If this occurred, the user could restart the screen or change the program but the image may have been displayed for so long that ‘ghost’ pixels would remain behind.
The screensaver’s job was to make sure this did not happen, hence the classic concept of a logo or picture bouncing slowly around the screen to keep the monitor’s pixels occupied. Our modern monitors and televisions are not susceptible to pixel ghosts, so the practical concern for screensavers has disappeared. Despite this, they have become part of our lives due to frequent use. This is similar to CTV, which has become considerably more popular thanks to the changing habits caused by COVID-19.
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And like CTV, screensavers have come a long way, technologically speaking. They can now be customized by the user in a number of ways. One can set a number of them to play in quick succession on their devices, yoga instructors recommend them to help create a relaxing atmosphere for their students, even dogs have been known to watch screensavers – which is pretty adorable. More importantly, though, screensaver apps can be used to publish ad content designed for niche audiences, meaning they are targeted for a specific group of people who download screensaver apps, and this is where the big opportunity lies for CTV ad creators.
If you’re asking why advertisers would be interested in screensavers, then you need to remember the interactive content that CTV offers. Advertisers and creators alike can adjust their work quickly to meet changing consumer demand and provide high-quality content for niche markets. This contrasts CTV advertising with several other fields like television, paper, etc., where ads are static and by necessity aimed at broader markets.
Film VS Screensaver, Linear VS CTV
Let’s compare film ads with screensaver ads, as both of them are applied to highly visual media. In one 90 minute period, a film displays on average between three to six ads, whereas a screensaver can display between six to nine ads in the same time period. By their very nature, film ads are quite distracting, sudden and sometimes irritating, and surprisingly screensaver-based ad content has nearly double the reach at 3 viewers – compared to 1-2 with films.
Linear TV ads used to be prestigious but at this point, they’re only worth the money if you can. get a spot on prime time TV. The advantage of CTV-based ads here is that you can place ads at any time of the day and reach your intended audience. Screensaver-based ads take this further, as it is very easy to quickly analyze the results of your ad campaigns and precisely target them. Besides, if you pause linear TV (and not everyone has this service) all you’ll get is a paused screen, but when a user pauses their CTV app they’ll be able to see your ad content displayed prominently.
The Six ’Senses’ Required for Screensaver Success
If screensaver ads on CTV platforms are going to succeed, it’ll be down to a number of factors. In particular, there are six key issues to look for: affordability, seasonability and memorability, as well as measurement, targeting, and last but not least, brand safety.
Money talks and affordability is key, but in this category, CTV ads are already a winner without screensavers as they offer better value of money. Seasonality is going to be a key issue here. For example, you might want to offer a Christmas or Hanukkah theme in December. If you can construct a screensaver ad that’s high quality enough to be attractive to the consumer, they’ll absorb the message without registering it as an ad.
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This is going to be a really interesting issue, namely whether screensaver ads can ensure that they have strong memorability without being too obvious or intrusive. A well-crafted, subtle advert located on a screensaver that harmonizes with the overall image is one thing, an obvious, brashy advert that pops up on an otherwise peaceful scene is quite another. So far, the CTV industry looks like it’s adopting the former approach, which is promising. However, this depends on strong measurement performance, so if you’re going to publish this content, make sure you have a strong analytics team.
Brand safety is crucial as publishers and marketers will be able to exercise a considerable degree of control of where and when their ads appear, ensuring that they do not become associated with the wrong sorts of content. If this is done in tandem with targeting, there shouldn’t be a problem, but again, this depends on strong analytics.
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Will Screensavers Get Noticed?
It does look pretty promising for screensaver success on the CTV market, especially if forward-thinking businesses are able to master the six points outlined above while developing their content. Much like the gaming segment of CTV, which is also experiencing massive growth and development, screensavers will succeed if the content is of high quality and engaging for the user. This parallels the increase in CTV gaming activity as a number of companies in this field have adopted a ‘quality first’ approach, something that screensaver developments should take note of.
“Consumers do not mind ads if they are relevant, provide value, and are not too intrusive or too long: all perfect conditions for app developers interested in custom screensavers.” Companies and designers that follow these conditions should find considerable success in the CTV field, and from there will be able to reach vastly larger audiences than would have been possible previously. Only time will tell if companies can take advantage of the opportunity, but they should, because the CTV market is looking more awesome and exciting with each passing day.
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