Hate Google TV home screen ads? There's a new one for you to ignore

Android Authority

11 hours ago

Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR Google has started displaying a new Star Wars/Coca-Cola ad on Google TV home screens.
The new ad is displayed at the top of the For You page and takes over the majority of the UI.
Google TV has had similarly annoying ads for Taco Bell, March Madness, and more.
As much as Google TV gets right, the platform's obsession with displaying advertisements and sponsored content is by far one of its greatest pitfalls. Most recently, one of the newest ads to hit people's Google TV screens is a giant advertisement for Star Wars-themed Coca-Cola cans.
As spotted in the r/AndroidTV subreddit a few days ago, the new ad is found at the top of Google TV's For You page and overtakes most of your TV display. There's some Kylo Ren artwork behind Star Wars Coca-Cola cans, paired with a giant 'Sponsored by Coca-Cola' label.
u/BarfingMonkey / Reddit
Does this look bad? Yes. Is there any way to get rid of it? No. This has been the case for Google TV ads for a while now, and, unfortunately, this is just the latest example of Google's insistence on turning your Google TV home screen into a glorified billboard.
We've been reporting on ongoing complaints about Google TV advertising for well over a year now, and it's something I experienced firsthand when I tried replacing my Apple TV 4K with a Google TV Streamer this past April. I saw similar full-screen ads for sponsored TV shows and movies at the top of the For You page, plus a Taco Bell ad with a giant QR code accompanying it. I was also served a Target-sponsored section further down the home page for March Madness videos. Frankly, it's a mess.
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Given Google's history with ads on Google TV, this newest Star Wars/Coca-Cola one isn't surprising, but it's still disappointing. There's a lot to like about Google TV, and the fact that Google feels it has to ruin it with constant advertisements like this is unfortunate.
If you're fed up with Google TV ads, the good news is that you can use a third-party launcher to access all of your apps without being bombarded by these ads and other sponsored content. As many people in that Reddit thread suggest, Projectivity Launcher is the best way to do this.
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