Samsung Smart TV: Non-Disruptive Ads and Analytics
Interactive TV overlays with real-time analytics
The Why:
The Ad ROI Challenge
TV remains the highest ad spending medium, providing the largest reach for affluent adults. However, despite technological advances, the method of ad delivery is outdated. Advertisers have limited resources to effectively measure Return on Investment (ROI) and gather audience insights for broadcast ads.
Core Issues Identified:
Advertisers needed an innovative solution that would revolutionize TV advertising without disrupting the viewing experience. The challenge was to create a TV overlay display system that seamlessly integrated with content while providing advertisers with comprehensive performance tracking capabilities.
- Need for non-disruptive TV overlay displays that enhance, not interrupt, viewing.
- Lack of a real-time vendor data dashboard for tracking ad performance metrics.
- Absence of customizable templates that allow vendors to maintain brand consistency.
- Advertisers had limited visibility into metrics like active viewing minutes and channel data.
Ideation workshop with sticky notes mapping user flows and feature priorities.
Interactive TV overlay dashboard displaying real-time analytics,maps, and mobile companion app integration.
The Process:
Persona-Driven Design & Validation
At Samsung, we initiated the design process with persona research to deeply understand advertiser needs. I led the creation of prototypes outlining user architecture and interaction flows for campaign creation, asset uploads, and unique tracking ID embedding.
Key Process Elements:
- Persona Research: Developed advertiser personas based on (VOC) data and market research to guide prioritization.
- Prototyping: Created low- to high-fidelity prototypes to visualize key flows for video uploads, asset management, and templates.
- User Validation: Conducted usability tests with advertisers to gather feedback and refine workflows.
- Interaction Design: Designed intuitive, user-friendly interactions for customizing templates and managing assets across devices.
The Pivot:
Prioritizing Template Control
During validation, advertisers demanded greater control over brand elements within the overlays. This required a pivot in design priority: shifting focus from pure campaign deployment toward building a robustcustomizable template system to maintain brand consistency and streamline asset allocation.
The Outcome:
Real-Time ROI & Streamlined Deployment
The first-generation application created was a simple-to-navigate tool that provided the ability to capture video and budgetary data required to run user-friendly overlay campaigns. These interactions are user-initiated and non-disruptive, enhancing rather than interrupting the viewing experience.
Key Results:
- Non-disruptive TV overlay display system that maintains viewing experience integrity
- Real-time vendor data dashboard tracking ad performance metrics
- Analytics for most watched channels and active viewing minutes
- Customizable template system allowing vendors to maintain brand consistency
- Streamlined campaign creation process with intuitive asset management
Design Insights:
What I Learned
The collaborative approach during storyboarding proved essential for aligning the team around complex user flows. The early use of low-to-high fidelity prototypes allowed us to validate core concepts and refine workflows before committing to costly development. Most importantly, emphasizing real-time metrics directly addressed advertisers' core pain point of measuring TV ad effectiveness, solidifying the product's value proposition.