Inside Samsung’s Strategy to Turn Ad Time into Engagement Time

At the 2025 IAB NewFronts, Samsung Ads and Samsung TV Plus unveiled a vision for the future of connected TV, aiming to redefine the FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) space. Highlighting their ambition, they launched STN (Samsung TV Network), a curated FAST channel with premium content exclusive to Samsung TV Plus.

The platform also announced collaborations with Spotify for a podcast channel featuring The Ringer, exclusive streaming rights for events like Billboard’s red carpet and the Jonas Brothers’ tour, and new channels from digital creators like Mark Rober and Dhar Mann. With an extensive sports lineup across over 50 channels, Samsung is positioning itself as a key player in the streaming industry, signaling a transformative approach to audience engagement for advertisers.

AdBuzzDaily spoke with Travis Howe, Global Head of New Product Solutions at Samsung Ads, about the impact of recent announcements on the streaming and advertising ecosystem. In the Q&A, Howe explains how Samsung’s blend of premium content and advanced ad tech aims to drive measurable results for brands while enhancing the viewer experience.

How can a brand leverage the exclusive launch of STN, Samsung’s own FAST channel, to align with premium, curated content that reaches millions of engaged viewers across Samsung TV Plus?

The Samsung Television Network (STN) is our flagship broad-FAST offering and next-generation channel, designed to maximize engagement through data and audience insights. We set out to build a destination where high-profile events like the Jonas Brothers Tour and a diverse, ever-growing slate of compelling content could coexist in one dynamic space. For brands, STN offers a powerful opportunity to utilize our first-party data to target highly curated audience segments. Additionally, STN will be a destination for brands to go beyond brand awareness and deliver outcome-based ad experiences through GameBreaks, Creative Canvas, and our Performance Suite.

With new collaborations including The Ringer’s Spotify video podcast channel and live events like Billboard red carpet coverage and the Jonas Brothers’ tour, how can brands integrate with culturally relevant, exclusive content to deepen consumer engagement?

Through exclusive partnerships with Spotify, Billboard, and the Jonas Brothers’ Living the Dream Tour, Samsung TV Plus is bringing live and premium entertainment to viewers in an integrated, lean-back experience on the biggest screen in the home. These collaborations create unique opportunities for brands to not only participate as sponsors but also integrate into the experience through onsite activations, custom content, and innovative ad formats specifically tailored to the live event.

Given Samsung TV Plus’s position as one of the largest providers of FAST sports content, how can brands activate around both local and national games across 50+ sports channels to build relevance with a passionate, loyal audience?

As sports content becomes increasingly fragmented across services, our goal is to streamline access for fans. Samsung TV Plus now offers one of the most expansive free sports streaming lineups, with over 50 channels covering everything from the NFL and MLB to Formula 1 and the WNBA. Recent additions include in-season live local NHL games from the Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars on Victory+, NASCAR races, and weekend MiLB matchups through our partnership with Bally Sports Live. These offerings give fans easy, subscription-free access to their favorite leagues, all in one convenient destination.

With innovations like Samsung Audience Collectives and Data+, how can brands tap into Samsung’s privacy-safe, AI-powered targeting to ensure your message reaches the right audience and track meaningful impact beyond impressions?

With tools like Samsung Audience Collectives and Data+, we’re giving brands a smarter, privacy-safe way to connect with the right audiences across our ecosystem. By combining the power of AI and machine learning with Samsung’s proprietary first-party TV and mobile data, advertisers receive highly curated, hyper-targeted audience profiles. Samsung’s strategic advantage lies in pairing these profiles with performance-driven ad formats such as our Creative Canvas portfolio or our TV, Mobile, and Web Conversion Performance Suite to drive engagement from awareness to conversion – a full-funnel marketing strategy for advertisers. This approach unlocks deep audience insights across linear and AVOD, eliminates waste and over-exposure, and measures meaningful outcomes at every stage of the funnel.  

How can brands capitalize on the authenticity and reach of creator-driven channels from names like Mark Rober and Dhar Mann, while also tapping into the buying power of viewers through upcoming shoppable content formats like ShoppingBreaks?

With exclusive partnerships from some of the biggest creators in their categories, like Mark Rober and Dhar Mann, we’re tapping into massive, loyal fanbases. And with new interactive formats like ShoppingBreaks, Samsung is transforming ad time into “engagement time,” delivering actionable, two-minute experiences for consumers to interact with products and purchase them directly from the largest screen in their home. We’re turning engagement into action, shortening the path to purchase and giving brands a powerful new way to connect with viewers who are not only watching, but ready to buy. Television should be [more than just a watching experience] as it should be an engaging experience.