A decade ago, interactive ads were a novelty — a shiny new toy on a media plan. Today, they’re everywhere: AR try-ons, branded filters, shoppable livestreams, playable ads, and endless “tap to reveal” carousels. But somewhere along the way, something strange happened: what was meant to delight started to feel… predictable.

It’s not the fault of the format. At its best, interactivity transforms ads from interruptions into experiences. The problem is what brands do with it. Many see AR, quizzes, or gamified videos as a box to tick on a creative checklist, instead of asking a deeper question: Why would anyone actually want to spend time with this?

When brands answer that question well, immersive ads stop being campaigns and start becoming part of culture. When they don’t, they disappear — no matter how sophisticated the tech.

The difference between “because we can” and “because they care”

Think about IKEA Place — the AR app that lets you drop true-to-scale furniture into your living room. It didn’t succeed because AR was trending; it succeeded because it removed a universal pain point: “Will this sofa actually fit here?” The technology wasn’t the idea; the idea was solving a problem every buyer has. AR just happened to be the best way to deliver that solution.

Contrast that with the countless branded AR lenses you see in social apps — the ones that let you wear a novelty hat or put your logo on your face. Most don’t get shared. Most don’t get saved. Because for the user, there’s no “why.” No utility. No story. Just an invitation to do the brand’s work for them.

That’s the difference: asking what the user gets out of it, rather than what the brand does.

When interactivity creates meaning, not just motion

Look at Nike’s “You Can’t Stop Us” — the celebrated campaign that used split-screen editing to pair different athletes in perfect symmetry. The TV spot itself was powerful. But Nike extended the idea with interactive social content: swipe to see different sports, tap to learn the athletes’ stories. Here, interaction wasn’t an afterthought; it mirrored the brand’s promise of movement and inclusivity. The action — swiping, tapping, exploring — became part of the storytelling.

It’s the same reason why Chipotle’s “Burrito Builder” on Roblox worked so well. Gen Z isn’t impressed by billboards in the metaverse. But give them something to do — in this case, assembling digital burritos to unlock real-world rewards — and you’ve suddenly made the brand part of play, not just product. The campaign blurred the line between digital and physical, fun and commerce. That’s what made it memorable.

The numbers back this up, but they only tell part of the story. Interactive content is shown to generate roughly twice the engagement of passive formats (Demand Metric). Shopify reported that Visitors were 65% more likely to place an order after interacting with a product in AR. But these stats matter only because they reflect something deeper: people don’t just want to watch anymore; they want to participate.

The creative question no algorithm can answer

If you spend enough time in marketing meetings, you hear the same pitch: “Let’s do something immersive.” It sounds innovative — until you realise it often leads to the same generic ideas: AR filters, quizzes, or 360° videos that don’t really connect back to what makes the brand matter.

Interactivity becomes wallpaper when it’s used as a veneer, not a vessel. Technology can amplify a great insight; it can’t replace one. The real creative question isn’t “What can we make interactive?” but “What about our brand story demands to be interacted with?”

Why it’s harder than it looks

If immersive advertising was easy, every brand would do it well. But it’s deceptively hard. You’re not just telling a story; you’re designing an experience. And that experience has to be:

• Simple enough to understand instantly,
• Rewarding enough to justify the effort,
• And meaningful enough to share.

That’s why so many brands fall into the same trap: building something technically impressive but emotionally empty. If the payoff isn’t worth the tap, swipe, or scan, people won’t bother.

Think about it from the user’s perspective: your brand’s AR filter or interactive ad isn’t competing with other ads; it’s competing with memes, messages from friends, and millions of other dopamine hits in the feed. You don’t win that fight by shouting louder. You win by offering something that feels worth the time.

Beyond clicks and swipes: the real measure of success

What matters is depth: did people spend time? Did they come back? Did they share it without being asked? Did it change perception or move them closer to buying?

In a world where the average person scrolls 300 feet of content a day, a single minute of voluntary attention is priceless. That’s why brands investing in meaningful interactive formats — not just gimmicks — often see disproportionate returns.

It’s also why the smartest brands measure more than media metrics. They look at dwell time, repeat interactions, social conversation, and sentiment. Because the goal isn’t to check “interactive” off a list; it’s to create an idea so engaging that people don’t just watch — they choose to join in.

The real opportunity: from campaigns to worlds

The next evolution isn’t just more immersive ads; it’s persistent brand spaces people can visit, revisit, and share. Think Gucci Garden on Roblox or Samsung’s interactive CTV ad units where scanning a code opens a live product demo on your phone. These aren’t ads in the traditional sense; they’re branded experiences that live beyond a campaign flight.

For brands willing to invest, this approach can shift marketing from a series of short-lived bursts to an ongoing relationship — something closer to entertainment, gaming, or community than advertising.

So, what should brands do differently?

Start with honesty. Don’t ask what technology can do for your brand; ask what your brand can do for people. The best interactive ads don’t feel like ads at all; they feel like tools, toys, or spaces built for the audience first.

Be ruthless about the “why.” If the interaction doesn’t enhance the idea, strip it away. A beautiful video that people watch is better than a clunky AR filter nobody uses.

And above all, remember that immersive doesn’t have to mean complicated. Sometimes, the simplest interactive idea — a poll, a slider, a “choose your vibe” customisation — can be more engaging than the most advanced build, as long as it connects to a real insight.

The bottom line

Immersive advertising isn’t going away; it’s evolving. But technology is just the canvas. The brands that win won’t be the ones with the most features, but the ones who understand why someone might care enough to play, share, or come back for more.

Because at the end of the scroll, what matters isn’t what your ad can do — it’s what it does for them.