Quest 02

Gmail Video Ads

Bringing video ads to Gmail without disrupting the inbox.

Gmail inbox with a video ad opened in a modal
Role
Senior UX Designer
Timeline
6 months, 2024
Team
PM, UX researcher, 5 engineers
Status
Handed off for live experiments

The problem

Gmail Ads had no video. Advertisers wanted richer formats. Users wanted their inbox left alone.

What I did

  • Adapted the native app’s video ad vision for the responsive web.
  • Tested click and hover models with 11 Gmail users.
  • Landed on a click-to-open modal, the least intrusive option.
Click-to-open video ad modal over the inbox
Hover preview of a video ad in the Promotions tab

Outcome

Design and research handed off for desktop live experiments in 2024.