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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryAdtech & ProgrammaticInterstitial Ad

Adtech & Programmatic

Interstitial Ad

A full-screen ad that appears between content or app screens and can be closed by the user.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

An interstitial ad is a full-screen ad that appears between pieces of content or app screens, such as between game levels or page transitions, and can be closed by the user. Its size gives it strong visibility, but poorly timed interstitials can frustrate users, and platforms restrict intrusive uses on mobile web.