Kargo Elevates CTV Pause Ads With Premium Creative and Enhanced Capabilities in Future Today Partnership

September 23, 2025

Kargo, the leading creative optimization platform, today unveiled its reimagined approach to Pause Ads on connected TV (CTV), bringing elevated design and data-backed performance to a format that insofar has been underutilized. The new offering provides brands with a non-intrusive, high-impact way to capture consumer attention during natural breaks in viewing.

Kargo’s first partner for Pause Ads is Future Today, a leader in the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) space. The partnership highlights Future Today’s innovation in delivering premium ad experiences across its expansive content network.

Future Today has already leveraged Kargo’s Pause Ads to share the Ad Council’s “Tear the Paper Ceiling” movement, which promotes hiring employees based on skills, not degrees.

“Pause Ads don’t just fill a break, they transform it into a moment of brand storytelling that gives us a full canvas for Kargo’s premium creative, turning a simple stop into an opportunity for brands to be seen and remembered,” said Tal Almany, Vice President, Global Supply at Kargo. “Partnering withFuture Today lets us deliver these high-impact experiences right where attention is highest.”

“Pause ads are one of the most promising ad innovations in the AVOD space. They turn a moment of user inactivity into a powerful brand opportunity without interrupting the viewing experience,” said Vikrant Mathur, Co-Founder of Future Today. “That’s why partnering with Kargo for the Ad Council’s ‘Tear the Paper Ceiling’ ad campaign was an easy decision. It allowed the Ad Council to deliver its message through a non-intrusive, high-impact placement that creates meaningful engagement and keeps viewers in control. It's a win for audiences, a win for brands, and a clear step forward in shaping the future of free, ad-supported TV.”

A recent study conducted by TVision revealed that Kargo’s enhanced creative CTV campaigns consistently outperformed industry benchmarks:

  • 15s

    • Kargo's Enhanced Branded Canvas captured attention in 55% longer than the 15-second CTV ad benchmark.

  • 30s

    • Viewers spent 25% more attention time on the 30-second Kargo Enhanced Branded Canvas than the 30-second CTV ad benchmark.

    • Kargo's Enhanced Branded Canvas captured attention in 76% longer than the 30-second CTV ad benchmark.

Kargo’s Pause Ads are part of its expanding suite of full-funnel CTV solutions, enabling advertisers to reach consumers across the entire journey — from attention-grabbing formats to performance-driving executions. As with all Kargo formats, Pause Ads run exclusively in premium environments, ensuring quality impressions and meaningful brand impact.

Brittany Perlmutter