• by Wayne Friedman , February 13, 2020

Video streaming platforms -- digital pay TV providers and individual OTT video platforms (over the top) -- continue to sharply ramp up marketing.

Over the three-month period from Nov. 12 through Feb. 12, total national/regional TV advertising spending came to $550.5 million, with 81,829 TV commercial airings -- yielding 26.3 billion impressions, according to iSpot.tv.

This is a sharp increase compared to the same period a year ago, with an estimated $250.9 million in TV advertising spending, 53,962 airings and 13.9 billion impressions.

The introduction of Disney+ and Apple TV+ in November 2019 is a primary reason for the bump -- as well as increased spending from Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu.

This year, Amazon Prime Video had 7,639 airings with an estimated TV spend of $118.5 million during that period -- about double its effort in the previous-year period ($59.3 million in spending and 3,181 spending.

Apple TV+ came in at 3,908 airings and $96.3 million this year, with Amazon Fire TV at 6,610 airings/$69.1 million; Netflix, 1,386 airings/$65.5 million; Hulu, 13,767 airings/$50.9 million; and Disney+, 6,788 airings/$48.7 million.

A year ago, Netflix came in at $37.5 million in national TV spending, 1,211 airings, while Hulu had $21.3 million and 7,940 airings.