On Demand Advertising

What is Video on Demand?

Video on Demand (VOD) refers to any platform that allows viewers to watch content whenever they choose, rather than following a scheduled broadcast. Whether it’s through catch-up TV, subscription streaming services, or free ad-supported platforms, VOD puts the viewer in control - delivering content across smart TVs, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices.

This shift in how people watch TV has transformed how advertisers connect with audiences. Instead of relying on fixed time slots and broad demographic estimates, brands can now reach viewers in far more targeted, flexible, and measurable ways. With VOD, advertisers gain access to detailed insights, user-level targeting, whilst appearing alongside high quality televised content that audiences actively choose to watch.

As audiences continue to value the flexibility and choice on Demand provide and move away from live broadcast TV, these platforms are becoming increasingly a key component of our viewing habits.

Who's Watching

In short: nearly everyone. Over 80% of UK adults now stream video content each week. Usage is highest among 16–34-year-olds, with VOD services often their primary way of watching TV. However, adoption is growing fast among older age groups too, with 35–54s and 55+ viewers increasingly embracing the convenience and choice that VOD provides.

Families, commuters, young professionals, and retirees are all part of this growing audience, often watching across smart TVs, tablets, and phones. These are viewers actively choosing the content they watch- increasing their engagement with the TV they're viewing.

This isn’t just a generational shift-it’s a behavioural one. VOD audiences span the UK, across income groups, lifestyles, and interests. And they’re consuming more content than ever, making VOD an essential channel for any brand that wants to stay connected and relevant.

Broadcaster VOD

Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) platforms are extensions of traditional TV networks, often referred to as catch-up with access both to recently broadcast programmes as well as increasingly more extensive libraries of older programmes. UK broadcaster offerings from the major channels such as ITVX, Channel 4, and My5 deliver the familiar high quality, professionally produced content we see broadcast on TV through this online platforms. BVOD therefore combines the same trusted and brand-safe environment for advertisers with ever increasing and detailed opportunities for targeting.

BVOD gives brands the chance to appear alongside shows audiences already know and love. These platforms also offer login-based access to millions of users—ITVX alone has over 40 million registered accounts—which enables postcode-level and demographic targeting using first-party data.

What makes BVOD especially valuable is the combination of mass reach, editorial quality, and data-rich targeting. It’s everything brands expect from TV, plus the strategic insight and flexibility of digital.

Subscription Video on Demand

Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) has become an increasing part of our TV consumption. With over 30,000 titles between them, including major movie and TV franchises such as Harry Potter, Star Wars and Stranger Things, platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video have become a considerable component of the entertainment landscape. With over 38 million users in the UK subscribed to at least platform, advertising within these platforms can bring extensive reach due to their popularity.

The increasing introduction and adoption of ad-supported tiers, have allowed advertisers to begin to reach a previously unreachable audience. Ad-supported SVOD tiers are opt-in, with the viewers choosing to view adverts, advertisers can reach viewers in a non-disruptive, non-intrusive way alongside people's favourite shows.

Advertising in SVOD combines high production values with deep audience immersion-ideal for brands looking to appear within premium content while benefiting from accurate audience targeting.

Advertiser Video on Demand

Advertiser Video on Demand (AVOD) platforms offer viewers free access to a wide range of content in exchange for advertising, with them being a cost-conscious alternative to subscription based platforms. A newer model for VOD services, they have a small but growing user base within the UK in comparison to BVOD and SVOD, however, in markets they are more established, such as the US, have found considerable users.  

With no subscription required, AVOD services attract broad, diverse audiences, often preferring the freedom of being able to use a number of services for free with the ad-supported content. These platforms increasingly collaborate with established production houses, therefore providing the high quality content available on other video on demand services but bringing a cost saving aspect to the consumption of TV and film content. 

With the likes of Pluto TV, Roku and Rakuten, gaining in popularity within the UK, and increasingly accessible through apps on Smart TVs, AVOD offers an option to advertisers looking to be alongside professional content.

Why Video on Demand Works for Advertisers

What sets VOD apart is its ability to deliver relevant, measurable campaigns within trusted, professionally produced content. Unlike traditional TV, VOD platforms collect rich, privacy-compliant data that supports highly strategic targeting:

• Postcode Targeting
  Ideal for regional campaigns, local offers, or store-based marketing, postcode targeting enables brands to focus spend precisely.

• First-Party Data
  Because many VOD users are logged in, platforms have access to anonymised data on age, gender, device type, and viewing habits—giving advertisers valuable insights for campaign planning and optimisation.

• Contextual Targeting
  Advertisers can also align their messaging with specific genres or programme types. For example, a kitchen appliance brand might advertise within a cookery series, or a travel brand during adventure documentaries. This approach enhances brand relevance without needing personal data.

In short, VOD gives brands the tools to deliver smarter campaigns—where the message, moment, and audience all align.

A Channel Built for the Present and Future

With the various On Demand services accounting for 41.2 billion hours of total consumed video content last year (44% of the total), and the default for an increasing number of viewers being to stream television, VOD is now an essential part of a media mix campaign.

VOD allows advertisers to combine the emotional power and cultural impact of television with the targeting precision and measurement of digital. Whether your goal is broad awareness or targeted action, VOD offers the scale, quality, and insight to deliver for your brand.