Interactive CTV: 6 Features Changing How Viewers Engage with Ads

We live in a digital-first world where consumers are just a finger-tap away from choosing what they watch. The days of passive viewing are over; audiences expect ads to be as immersive and personalized as the content they stream. Connected TV (CTV) has rapidly become a central component of digital advertising strategies. While your competitors are already engaging viewers in their living rooms with Interactive CTV, don't miss out on converting passive viewing into an active brand playground.

CTV is no longer the future; it’s “here & now!”
Interactive CTV earns an additional 71-92 seconds of viewer time beyond the conventional ad length, and delivers an average interaction rate of 5-8% on total impressions of unique users. What’s more? its impact has grown by 3X, since you began reading this blog.

beyond clicks: 6 interactive CTV capabilities for marketers

The power of Interactive CTV lies in its ability to offer a range of creative formats that go beyond a simple video ad. With just a Smart TV remote or their mobile, viewers can be deeply engaged with any of the following 6 capabilities of  mCanvasTV.
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1. Remote-toggle to browse carousels, products or features with arrow keys on TV remote

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2. Colour Swatch allows users to change the colours of elements in the ad creative

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3. Countdown to build anticipation for a launch, movie release or limited-time offer

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4. Gamification where users play animated, interactive games using remote control

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‍5. Live APIs to display real-time information like weather or sports score updates

Read more about our recent interactive CTV campaign with LIVE API

6. Dynamic bands with customized creatives in the band, based on time of the day

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interactivity: from storytelling to ‘story living’

mCanvasTV is here to change the game, bringing immersive storytelling to life on Connected TV. mCanvasTV makes ads seamless, non-disruptive, and interactive — transforming viewers into active participants. Initiate two-way brand conversations on the L-band or U-band to seamlessly bridge the gap between the Smart TV screen and remote control or mobile device, boosting brand recall and elevating user engagement. 

CTV isn’t just about boosting reach — it’s about relevance, engagement, and measurable outcomes. Passive ads will always deliver impressions; but interactive CTV delivers high impact. For brands looking to stand out, it’s not just about telling stories on TV screens, but in letting audiences experience and really, live the story!

Read about our 5 winning CTV campaigns at the Connected TV Asia Awards here.

measurable impact of CTV - the marketers’ switch

Every brand marketer knows, it isn't about a flashy creative; it's about driving tangible business outcomes. A recent mCanvas study and verified industry analysis found that Interactive CTV campaigns lead to a significant lift in key brand metrics.

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For brand marketers, interactive CTV allows you to move beyond awareness to drive tangible bottom-funnel success by achieving an 8X uplift in purchase intent. It’s all about creating an engaging, experiential storytelling-to-conversion path.

the passive screen is now an interactive canvas

CTV combines the lean-back comfort of television with the precision targeting at scale, brand equity lift and measurability of digital. For advertisers and brand marketers, this means reaching a highly engaged, premium audience, with far more creative possibilities than traditional TV ever could.

At mCanvas, we believe in a world where TV meets interactivity!
Interactive CTV transforms the passive screen into an engaging, two-way dialogue to form a full-funnel advertising strategy — from awareness to action. It creates opportunities for users to click and interact in real time, engage with gamified experiences, and scan QR codes, while driving traffic to your brand’s landing page.
It’s about much more than just grabbing attention; it's about crafting connections.

Do you have your finger on the interactive CTV button?