Disney Plus reveals how much time you’ll spend watching ads on its ad-supported tier
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A few months ago, we reported that Disney Plus will introduce an ad-supported tier later this year, meaning that you will be able to watch Loki, Moon Knight, and Obi-Wan Kenobi for less money, with ads, of course. Although the price and the official release date of the new subscription plan are still unknown, we now know how many minutes of advertising you will see during the next adventure of The Mandalorian.
Disney Plus confirmed that it will limit its ads to around four minutes per hour. This is good news because four minutes is like the bare minimum in advertising on streaming platforms. Currently, the services with the lightest ad loads are Peacock and HBO Max, with around five minutes of ads per hour. Also, when you consider the fact that when you watch traditional TV, you usually see between 18 and 23 minutes an hour of advertising, Disney Plus’s four minutes of ads in total is really nothing.
Disney Plus also shared that when it releases its ad-supported tier, preschool children who use their own profiles to watch shows won’t see any ads. As Rita Ferro, Walt Disney’s president of Advertising Sales, stated, “We’re never going to collect data on individual kids to target them.” So, you can rest assured that your pre-teen won’t be bombarded with ads while watching Mickey Mouse.
“But until then, your cheapest option to watch the hit series Moon Knight — if you haven’t already — is $7.99 per month.”
An interesting fact is that, because Disney Plus’s content is deemed brand-safe, advertisers are particularly interested in placing their ads on the platform. According to ad buyers, Disney Plus wants to charge advertisers about $50 to $60 for reaching 1,000 viewers, though it’s worth noting that Disney has made no official comment on pricing. The alleged figures aren’t that bad and are close to what other top streaming services are charging, but advertisers won’t be able to choose what programs their ads appear on, so in that context, the pricing can be viewed as expensive.
The thing that worries us the most is that, with the launch of its ad-supported tier, Disney Plus is likely to increase its ad-free plan as well. During a recent Disney earnings call, Bob Chapek, Disney’s Chief Executive Officer, hinted that such a thing is very likely to happen. In response to a question about whether the firm plans to increase the price of its streaming service following the debut of the ad-supported plan, Chapek said that as the company invests more in producing better content, it will also be able to raise the price of its ad-free plan.
We hope that Disney Plus will soon announce when it will release its ad-supported tier. But until then, your cheapest option to watch the hit series Moon Knight — if you haven’t already — is $7.99 per month.
Questions & Answers
Q.How many minutes of advertising will Disney Plus subscribers on the ad-supported tier see per hour?
How many minutes of advertising will Disney Plus subscribers on the ad-supported tier see per hour?
Disney Plus has confirmed that it will limit advertisements to around four minutes per hour on its new ad-supported subscription plan. This is less than other streaming services like Peacock and HBO Max.
Q.Will preschool children using their own profiles see adverts on the new ad-supported plan?
Will preschool children using their own profiles see adverts on the new ad-supported plan?
No, preschool children who use their own profiles to watch shows on Disney Plus's ad-supported tier will not see any advertisements. The company also stated it will not target ads at individual children.
Q.Has Disney Plus commented on the potential cost for advertisers to place ads on the platform?
Has Disney Plus commented on the potential cost for advertisers to place ads on the platform?
While ad buyers suggest Disney Plus wants to charge £50 to £60 for reaching 1,000 viewers, Disney has not made an official comment on this pricing. Advertisers also won't be able to choose specific programmes.
Q.Is it likely that the price of the ad-free Disney Plus plan will increase after the new tier launches?
Is it likely that the price of the ad-free Disney Plus plan will increase after the new tier launches?
Yes, Disney's CEO, Bob Chapek, hinted that an increase to the ad-free plan is very likely. He suggested this would happen as the company invests more in producing content.
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