If you’ve paused a video on the YouTube Mobile App recently, you might’ve seen a new kind of ad quietly enter the scene.

Meet Pause Ads — static image ads that show up only when you hit pause, now confirmed by Google’s Ginny Marvin to be served via Demand Gen image ads. You can’t target this placement directly, but it’s worth knowing how it behaves and why it matters.

Here’s how they work:

• They appear 10 seconds after the video is paused

• Only show in horizontal (landscape) view

• They disappear as soon as playback resumes

Why this matters for advertisers:

This is not your typical interruptive ad format. Instead, it captures attention at a moment of focus — when the viewer is already engaged but not being actively distracted by audio or motion. That means:

• It’s less intrusive than mid-roll or pre-roll ads

• It’s a new space to test awareness or retargeting creatives

• It could perform well for visual storytelling or simple, CTA-driven offers

Creative tips to test:

• Use bold CTAs that make sense in a “paused” moment — think: “Tap to Save This” or “Shop Now While You Pause”

• Stick with clean, simple visuals — no flashy motion or overcomplicated messages

• Think brand building, not hard selling. This is the perfect canvas for reminding someone who you are — or what they almost forgot to buy

This ad unit is still evolving, but it’s one more reminder that YouTube continues to blur the lines between video and display.

📌 If you’re already running Demand Gen campaigns, check your image assets — they might already be showing up in Pause placements.