• by Colin Kirkland , April 23, 2025

On Wednesday, Threads launched its long-awaited test of ads with a small number of advertisers, including Wendy’s and GroupM.

During early testing, Meta says, ads in Meta’s X-alternative app will appear between pieces of content in the home feed for a small percentage of users. 

The company says that it has surveys and other “measures” in place to help users understand which ads people enjoy and deliver what feels most relevant to them.

In addition, people will have controls on the ads they see in the feed, informing them of how their personal data is being used for ads, with options to alter the collection process. 

“For example, if people see an ad they don't like, they can skip the ad, or tap the menu on the post to hide or report it,” the company explained in January, when it first announced its plans for ads. 

Because Threads exists within Meta’s ecosystem of social media apps, businesses are able to extend and repurpose their existing Meta ad campaigns directly to Threads by checking a box in Ads Manager. 

Meta says this seamlessness will help advertisers currently running campaigns on Facebook and Instagram easily expand their reach to Threads’ 320 million active users, 75% of whom already follow at least one business. 

As part of this initial test, Meta will also begin testing its inventory filter for ads on Threads.

Enabled through AI -- and already available for the Facebook and Instagram feed and reels -- the brand suitability control allows advertisers to control the sensitivity level of the organic content their ads appear next to. 

Meta says it is applying its monetization policies to Threads, which rely on the company’s Community Standards to set a foundation against unsafe content appearing next to an ad. 

Per the test, two companies -- fast-food chain Wendy's and GroupM, WPP’s media investment group -- have already begun launching ads on Threads.

“Is this an ad?” reads one of Wendy’s in-feed ads. “Yes. But does it have a fresh Dave’s Single wearing a lil jersey? Maybe.” Below the sponsored text is an animated image of a burger in a basketball uniform, spinning a ball on its finger. 

Wendy’s Russ Mischner, vice president of integrated marketing, says that the company hopes advertising on Threads will scale its brand messaging “in a new way.” 

Jim Kensicki, COO for GroupM's activation teams in North America, believes that testing ads on Threads will deliver “early insights into audience engagement on emerging platforms,” enabling the company “to predict and adapt to the continually evolving media landscape and ultimately steward our clients’ media investments more efficiently and effectively.”

Meta says that as it learns from this test, it will monitor the results for brands and users before rolling out more broadly.