• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, February 22, 2024

Streaming TV and video platforms have slowed their national TV ad spend -- paid advertising or the value of TV on-air promotion messaging -- down 22% to $193 million over the recent 90-day period from Nov. 21, 2023-Feb. 21, 2024, according to estimates from EDO Ad EnGage.

During this period -- which had heavy NFL and NBA programming -- these platforms had 58,050 airings, resulting from 25.5 billion impressions.

The previous year, over the same time period, all streamers had a collective TV spend and value of their messaging, totaling $247.6 million (63,140 airings and 30 billion impressions).

Over the last year or so, many legacy TV-owned streaming platforms have been cutting costs in their respective operations -- including production and marketing -- in an effort to achieve consistent profitability. 

This year, major high-spending streaming brands include Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max ($32.5 million); Paramount Global’s Paramount+ ($27.0 million); Amazon Prime Video ($23.4 million), and Paramount Global’s Pluto TV ($21.1 million).

Max, Paramount+, and Pluto TV all benefit from TV promotion ads on their respective partner companies' TV networks.

A year ago, brands that spent big included Amazon Prime Video ($35.3 million); Paramount+ ($30.6 million); HBO Max ($28 million); NFL+ ($22.6 million); Tubi ($21.8 million): and Disney+ ($15.3 million).

EDO Ad EnGage also measures “engagement value” -- the increase in search activity in the minutes immediately following the airing of a TV commercial. For streaming services this averaged 18,020 in additional increases in searches per TV airing. A year ago, it was 24,820. 

While overall streaming airings have slowed for many streamers, WBD’s Max doubled its airings over the period -- 20,210 versus 10,040 over the same period as HBO Max.

The other top-spending streamers witnessed declines, with Paramount+ next at 6,800 (November 2023 - February 2024) versus 7,040 (November 2022 - February 2023); Disney+ (1,730 versus 4,870); Hulu (4,730 versus 6,970); Prime Video (3,720 versus 7,250); FuboTV (2,470 versus 3,290); ; and AMC+ (2,080 versus 2,350).

NFL+ was one of few to see increases (2,080 versus 1,760). Much of this messaging could be found on its NFL TV/platforms that run its content, including the owned NFL Network.

Streaming leader Netflix placed just 8 total airings ($3.41 million in ad spend). According to EDO Ad EnGage, Netflix had no national TV advertising spending in the same year-ago period.