Roku is facing backlash over a limited test where an ad for Moana 2 started playing as soon as its products were powered on, sparking outrage from customers who threatened to ditch their devices. The company’s head of ad marketing says ads are meant to be ‘additive’ to the user experience, but acknowledged that the execution was not satisfactory.
Roku users have grown accustomed to seeing ad banners and sponsored items in exchange for low-priced hardware. However, a full-screen takeover like the one last month is unacceptable. Ad revenue will become increasingly important as tariffs disrupt Roku’s hardware costs.
In an interview, Jordan Rost said Roku is always testing and listening to consumer feedback. The company aims to make ads more shoppable, interactive, and ‘delightful.’ Despite the controversy, Roku remains committed to growing its ad push, with plans to continue tweaking and improving the user experience.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/654389/roku-2025-event-ads-interview