• by Wayne Friedman , November 14, 2023

Over the last four months or so -- before and during the start of the TV season, amid two industry strikes --  premium streaming platforms have increased or mostly maintained national TV advertising/on-air promo messaging.

EDO Ad EnGage estimates the business rose a collective 5% to $192.7 million in estimated TV ad spend/media value from on-air promos over the past 90 days.

From August 13 through November 13, airings and overall impressions also climbed, for the most part. This year there were 76,780 airings (62,870 a year ago) and 27.8 billion impressions (24.5 billion).

NFL+ spent more, with an ad spend/media value estimate of $37.8 million ($34.7 million a year ago). 

NFL+ was the highest among all premium streamers, largely due to its airing of promos and commercials during NFL regular games, where some of the priciest commercials reside. 

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max was next at $30.3 million ($19.2 million the year before). It airs a sizable number of commercials and promos on WBD’s own cable TV networks. Other legacy TV-owned media companies follow the same in-house TV network media-placement strategy.

Other companies that showed gains include the Disney Bundle (Disney+ Hulu, and ESPN+),  $14.1 million ($9.7 million the year before); FuboTV, $9.4 million ($6.8 million); Pluto TV, $4.3 million ($527,000); and Netflix, $3.8 million (no data); and Starz, $3.6 million ($313,000)

Three other major streamers were at around the same levels: Disney+ at $14.6 million (vs. $15.9 million a year ago); Hulu+Live TV, at $18.8 million (vs. $19.6 million); and Amazon Prime Video, at $14.2 million (vs. $20.8 million).

Two other premium streamers -- Paramount+ and Peacock -- significantly lowered their ad spend and media value from promo placement on their respective sister TV networks, with Peacock sinking to $7.6 million ($15.4 million a year ago); Paramount+, $3.95 million ($6.4 million a year ago). 

Both streamers have sister broadcast TV networks which, in normal times, sans strikes, would look to promote their new fall programming on all platforms.