ITV will display picture-in-picture ads during the 2026 Six Nations in a UK first.
The broadcaster’s coverage of the Six Nations, which starts tonight (5 Feb), will feature the ad format twice per game.
Picture-in-picture ads allow the live broadcast to continue while simultaneously featuring an advert. In the ITV broadcasts, the right side of the screen will carry the TV commercial while the left hand of the screen continues showing the live action.
The ads — lasting 20 seconds each — will occur once in each half when there’s a break in play just before a scrum, with the timing and insertion overseen by ITV Sport production.
Samsung and Virgin Atlantic will be the first brands taking part. Samsung’s advert for the Galaxy Fold Z7 shows a group of fans watching live rugby together on their phone, while Virgin Atlantic’s advert shows the viewer where the airline can take them.
Mark Trinder, ITV director of commercial sales and partnerships said: ‘At ITV throughout 2026 we’re bringing the most exciting advertising opportunities of the year to brands — live, free-to-air sport on a scale we’ve never seen before.
‘I’m delighted to welcome Samsung and Virgin Atlantic as our first partners for the new picture-in-picture offering.’
Trinder added that picture-in-picture advertising is ‘sure to be a high-attention format’. While some viewers may find picture-in-picture ads annoying and intrusive, the research backs up that it does successfully capture attention.
A study from FOX Sports and Innerscope Research investigated the effectiveness of the format. It found that, while viewers state they focus on the live-action, they primarily pay attention to the ad. It also reported that double box advertising is more engaging than traditional advertising as it maintains ‘very high emotional engagement’ for 50% longer.
ITV said they had no confirmed plans of featuring the ad format in any other programming, but there is speculation that it may be used in this summer’s World Cup. Fifa has already announced that there will be a set water break in each half, seemingly an ideal fit for picture-in-picture advertising.
