Why Companies Are Using QR Codes in CTV Ads

QR codes are becoming increasingly common in Connected TV advertising because they solve one of television advertising’s oldest challenges: how to turn a viewer’s attention into immediate action.

With a quick smartphone scan, viewers can move directly from an ad on the biggest screen in the home to a product page, a special offer, an app download, a reservation page, or a shopping experience. Instead of expecting viewers to remember a website address or search for a brand later, advertisers can create a direct connection between the television and the device already in viewers’ hands.

As CTV continues to evolve from a traditional awareness channel into a measurable performance advertising channel, QR codes are helping close the gap between seeing an ad and responding to it.

Why Are Companies Adding QR Codes to CTV Ads?

Television has always been powerful at capturing attention, but taking action after seeing a commercial traditionally required several additional steps. A viewer had to remember the company or product, find a device, conduct a search, and hope to reach the right destination.

Every additional step creates an opportunity to lose that potential customer.

A QR code shortens that journey by allowing viewers to scan the television screen with a smartphone and immediately reach a specific digital destination. Depending on the campaign, that could be a product page, a limited-time offer, a restaurant menu, an appointment scheduler, an app download, an event registration page, or another carefully selected experience.

The concept is simple, but the shift is significant. Television is no longer limited to delivering a message and hoping someone remembers it later. CTV advertisers can now create a more immediate path from attention to action.

What Difference Can a QR Code Make in a CTV Campaign?

The most obvious benefit is convenience, but the potential value goes much further.

A well-designed QR code can reduce friction between seeing an advertisement and responding to it, while also giving advertisers another measurable signal of viewer engagement. When a unique, trackable QR code is used for a specific campaign or creative, advertisers can measure scans and better understand when viewers are choosing to interact with an ad.

QR codes can also make the call to action much more specific. Instead of ending a commercial with a generic instruction to visit a website, the ad can invite viewers to scan for a discount, explore a product, order food, book an appointment, or learn more.

However, the destination matters just as much as the code itself. Sending an interested viewer to a generic homepage with no obvious next step can quickly waste the advantage created by the scan.

The experience after the scan should continue the experience promised in the ad.

Are People Actually Scanning QR Codes in TV Ads?

Yes, although the answer requires some context because scan rates can vary considerably depending on the audience, creative, offer, QR code placement, screen time, and reason given to take action.

The more useful question is not simply whether people will scan a QR code, but what gives them a compelling reason to do it.

A QR code that merely says “Learn More” may elicit a very different response from one offering a meaningful discount, exclusive content, immediate ordering, or another clear benefit. Viewers also need enough time to notice the code, understand what will happen when they scan it, pick up a phone, and complete the action.

This is one area where current performance data deserves careful interpretation. A high scan rate does not automatically mean a successful campaign, just as a lower scan rate does not necessarily mean an ad failed. The quality of the interaction and what happens after the scan matter considerably more than the scan alone.

What Does the Data Show About QR Codes and CTV Advertising?

Current industry data indicate growing adoption of QR codes and interactive formats as advertisers seek more direct ways to link CTV exposure to measurable consumer action.

However, performance benchmarks should be evaluated carefully because scan rate, engagement rate, click-through rate, and conversion rate are different measurements and should not be used interchangeably.

A QR code scan indicates that a viewer took an active step after seeing the ad, but the overall impact of a CTV campaign may be considerably broader. Another viewer might see the same commercial, remember the company name, and later visit the website directly. Someone else might search for the product on Google, visit a store, or convert on a different device.

For that reason, QR code scans can provide valuable engagement data, but they should be viewed as one part of a broader CTV measurement strategy rather than the sole measure of campaign success.

How Do You Create a QR Code for a CTV Ad?

Creating the code itself is relatively simple, but crafting one appropriate for an advertising campaign requires more thought.

For most CTV advertising campaigns, a dynamic QR code is more useful than a static one because it can provide tracking and, depending on the platform, allow the destination URL to be changed without replacing the original code.

Before generating a QR code, advertisers should decide exactly what action they want viewers to take and create the appropriate destination experience. The page should load quickly on a mobile device, continue the message from the television ad, and make the next step immediately clear.

Additionally, the QR code should be tested on different television sizes and from realistic viewing distances before the campaign launches. A code that works perfectly on a laptop screen may not necessarily be easy to scan from across a living room.

How Long Should a QR Code Stay on the TV Screen?

Viewers need enough time to notice the QR code, understand the call to action, reach for a phone, open the camera, and scan the screen.

There is no single ideal duration for every campaign, but a QR code that flashes briefly at the end of a commercial may not give viewers enough time to respond. The code should remain visible long enough to support a comfortable scanning experience without distracting from the creative itself.

Size, contrast, and placement also matter. The code needs sufficient visual separation from the background and should not compete with disclaimers, logos, captions, or other elements for limited screen space.

This becomes particularly important in shorter CTV ads, where every second matters.

Try It Yourself: Scan This QR Code

Scan the QR code above with your phone to experience how quickly a viewer can move from one screen to another.

For desktop readers, the experience is remarkably similar to scanning a QR code displayed during a CTV commercial: one screen captures attention, while the phone becomes the immediate path to action.

By using a unique, trackable QR code specifically for this article, Digital Marketing Stream can also measure how many readers choose to interact with it and potentially update this article with first-party engagement data in the future.

Where Should a QR Code in a CTV Ad Take the Viewer?

A QR code should take viewers to a destination that directly matches the advertisement’s message and call to action.

If the commercial promotes a particular product, the code should generally lead to that product or campaign experience rather than the company’s homepage. If the ad offers a discount, viewers should immediately see the offer after scanning. If the goal is appointment scheduling, the booking process should be easy to find and use on a mobile device.

The fewer unnecessary steps between the scan and the intended action, the better the viewer experience.

Are QR Codes Making CTV Advertising More Measurable?

QR codes are helping advertisers create another measurable connection between television exposure and digital action, but they are only one part of the picture.

The real value of CTV advertising comes from combining the visual impact of television with digital targeting, measurement, and interactive capabilities. QR codes contribute to that evolution by giving viewers an immediate way to respond while giving advertisers a direct engagement signal that traditional television could rarely provide.

As shoppable TV, interactive ad formats, and cross-screen experiences continue to develop, the television screen is becoming much more than a place to build awareness.

It is increasingly becoming a starting point for action.

The Takeaway

QR codes are appearing in more CTV ads because they make it easier for viewers to move from watching to acting. They can reduce friction, support more specific calls to action, and provide measurable engagement data when implemented correctly.

The technology itself is not what determines success. The offer, creative, placement, screen time, mobile destination, and overall viewer experience all play a role in whether someone chooses to scan and what happens next.

The next time a QR code appears during a streaming TV commercial, pay attention to how it is used. Is the reason to scan immediately clear? Does the code remain on screen long enough? Is it easy to scan from across the room, and does the destination deliver what the advertisement promised?

Those details may determine whether a QR code is simply another square on the television screen or a genuine bridge between the biggest screen in the home and measurable consumer action.