The Walt Disney Co. said that more than 100 marketers have signed up to sponsor the new Disney Plus tier with ads when it launches.
The new service, which will cost $7.99 a month, will have its debut on December 8.
“Strong pricing reflects the value advertisers put on our audience, our brand-safe environment for their messages and our sales experience,” said Disney CEO Bob Chapek on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call Tuesday.
“We also have proven technology to deliver a great advertising experience on day one,” Chapek added, a not-too-subtle reference to Netflix, which started up its ad business this month. “And importantly, we have the ability to scale and innovate for audiences and advertisers alike.”
Also: Madison Avenue Tunes In as Netflix Launches Ad Tier
Netflix has been recruiting senior executives to run its ad sales business. It has also formed alliances with established ad tech players, including Microsoft, Xandr, DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science and Nielsen to get up and running quickly after eschewing advertising for years.
By contrast, “we have been a leader in streaming advertising for some time and bringing our years of experience, leading ad tech and relationship to this important opportunity,” Chapek said. ■
