A lower third ad is a banner strip that occupies the bottom ~15–20% of the CTV screen during content playback. Content continues full-screen above it. The brand appears in the viewer's peripheral vision while they watch.
Key characteristics:
- Non-interrupting — content does not pause or resize
- Commonly used in live sports (score bugs, sponsored score graphics) and live news streaming
- Lower attention intensity than L-banner or pre-roll — a peripheral presence format
- Duration: typically 10–15 seconds before disappearing
India availability: JioCinema (IPL sponsored score overlays as part of sponsorship packages), Hotstar (Star Sports live coverage), SonyLIV (ICC cricket, Sony Sports). All are sold as part of live sports sponsorship deals — not standalone CPM buys.
Creative specs: 1920x216px strip at full HD. Brand logo on one side, message in centre. Minimum 36px text for legibility at TV viewing distance. High contrast — the strip overlays video content, so the creative must be readable over any background.
Best use: Supplement to video in live sports sponsorship contexts. Not a standalone CTV campaign format.
Full guide
For a complete explanation, read: Lower third ads on CTV: the format, how it works, and when to use it