What is Sky AdSmart, and how does it work?
Sky AdSmart is a targeted TV advertising platform. It lets businesses show different adverts to different households watching the same programme — chosen by location, age, income, lifestyle and more. You only pay when your ad is actually watched, which makes TV advertising affordable for businesses of almost any size.
Ordinary TV advertising is a broadcast: everyone watching a channel sees the same ad. AdSmart from Sky turns that on its head. Using data about each household, it decides which ad to serve to which home — so two neighbours watching the same show can see completely different adverts. It brings the precision of digital marketing to the biggest screen in the house.
How Sky AdSmart works, step by step
You choose your audience
Define the households you want to reach — by location (down to postcode), demographics, and lifestyle. From a whole region to a tightly defined niche.
Your ad is matched to those homes
AdSmart uses household-level data to serve your advert only to matching Sky and Virgin Media homes, across live and on-demand TV.
It runs across premium channels
Your ad appears in and around the programmes those households are already watching — with all the trust and impact of TV.
You only pay when it's watched
A view is only counted (and charged) when at least 75% of your ad is watched at normal speed — so skipped ads cost you nothing.
What can you target?
AdSmart offers over 400 targeting attributes drawn from household data. Common ones include:
Who is Sky AdSmart for?
Because you only pay to reach chosen households, AdSmart suits far more than big national brands:
- Local & regional businesses that want TV impact in their catchment, without national wastage.
- Growing brands stepping up from digital-only to add the credibility of television.
- Niche products that need a specific audience — a certain age, income or interest group.
What does it cost?
Targeted AdSmart campaigns typically start from around £3,000 in media spend, charged at roughly 5p per view. Production of the ad is separate and can be tailored to almost any budget.
Want the detail? See our full breakdown: How much does it cost to advertise on Sky TV?
Think Sky AdSmart could work for you?
Tell us who you want to reach and we'll show you what's possible — and what it would cost.
Get a QuoteSky AdSmart FAQs
What is Sky AdSmart in simple terms?
It's targeted TV advertising. Instead of everyone seeing the same ad, AdSmart shows your advert only to the specific households you choose, based on where they live and who they are.
How does Sky AdSmart know which ad to show?
It matches your chosen audience to household-level data, then serves your ad only to homes that fit — across Sky and Virgin Media, on live and on-demand TV.
Is Sky AdSmart the same as normal TV advertising?
No. Normal TV airtime shows one ad to everyone watching a channel. AdSmart targets individual households, so it's more precise and usually far more affordable to start.
Do I only pay when someone watches my ad?
Yes. A view is counted only when at least 75% of the ad is watched at normal speed, so you don't pay for skipped or fast-forwarded ads.
How much does Sky AdSmart cost to start?
Targeted campaigns generally start from around £3,000 in media spend. See the full cost guide.