Google TV ads have giant QR codes now [Gallery]

5 hours ago 1

Google TV has introduced a new ad format that throws a gigantic QR code on top of the subject matter.

Ads on Google TV have changed a lot over the past few years, with the platform originally showing ads only for content you could view on your TV, only now to show ads for everything from cars to chicken tenders.

Recently, we highlighted an issue with these ads, as a confusing video game ad prompted viewers to “buy now” with a link that simply opened a YouTube channel. Google TV, it seems, is looking to solve that with the use of QR codes in ads.

A new ad showing up on Google TV for the latest Range Rover showcases a giant QR code on the screen which can be opened to show the QR code on its own where Google TV says that users can “scan the QR code to visit the advertiser link.” In this particular case, the link is to YouTube, but it could presumably be used for any website. We also noticed this new format being used with an Xbox ad on Google TV.

The new format certainly draws attention and could better serve users, but it does feel just a bit clunky in the overall UI due to its massive size.

Ironically, this change is showing up right as Google TV has been surveying more users over the quantity of ads on the homescreen.

Have you seen these new QR codes in Google TV ads? What do you think? Let’s discuss in the comments below.