Streaming giants are turning the humble pause into prime ad real estate, expanding from subtle overlays to full-screen, shoppable pitches. Amazon’s format can add items to carts and lifted Duracell purchases 12% when paired with regular spots; Netflix says 77% of ad-tier viewers keep pause ads up for at least 15 seconds. Disney’s opt-in Pause+ keeps control with viewers, while Warner Bros. Discovery tests full-screen globally. Peacock already runs them, and media groups eye AI, local targeting, and even "mindful moments" inside commercial breaks.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.