Lyft Gives Brands the Home Screen With New 'Home Masthead' Ad Unit

Lyft is alpha testing a new ad unit called the "home masthead" that gives brands full ownership of the ride-hailing app's home screen — the surface riders see before they book a trip, the company told ADWEEK. The placement marks the first time Lyft has offered advertisers complete control of that pre-booking screen, and it arrives as the company's ads business posted roughly 100% year-over-year growth in 2025.

Pluto TV is one of the initial sponsors of the unit. The Paramount-owned free streaming service is using the masthead as part of its "Escape to Pluto TV" brand campaign, which promotes a redesign of the Pluto TV user experience. Google is also among the early test partners, according to the company's key takeaways on the announcement.

What placements are already live?

The home masthead does not stand alone. Lyft already sells other home screen ad formats to brands, and the new unit extends that inventory. The existing placements include:

• Sponsored vehicle designs on the app's embedded map, letting brands take over the look of cars displayed as riders browse available rides.
• Splash screens that can play an animation over the map before a rider proceeds to booking.

The home masthead sits above both in terms of screen dominance: rather than decorating a functional element, the sponsor owns the entire surface a rider confronts at the moment of intent — the seconds between opening the app and requesting a car.

Why the timing matters for marketers

The commercial context is the number: Lyft Ads grew its business about 100% year over year in 2025. That growth rate signals rising advertiser demand for ride-hailing inventory, and Lyft is responding by building higher-impact formats that command premium pricing. Full-screen ownership of a booking interface is the most prominent position the company can sell.

For Pluto TV, the placement fits a specific brief. The "Escape to Pluto TV" campaign supports a redesign of the streaming service's user experience, which makes a high-visibility takeover format a natural fit — the goal is broad awareness of a new look, not a direct-response click. Google's participation as an early partner suggests the format also tests well for large, always-on brand advertisers.

What does this change for CMOs?

The practical question for marketing leaders is whether ride-hailing screens deserve a line in the brand budget. The answer hinges on reach and attention: riders open the Lyft app with a transaction in mind, and the home screen captures them in the seconds before that transaction closes. An alpha test with Pluto TV and Google attached gives early evidence that major brands see value in that moment.

The unit remains in alpha testing. Lyft has not announced a general availability date, pricing, or measurement standards for the home masthead, so buyers evaluating the format should treat current results as directional rather than proven.

One figure frames the opportunity either way: an ads business that doubled in 2025 now has its most prominent surface on sale.