Strategic Insights: Advertising on Hulu for Business Growth

When it comes to OTT advertising, Hulu is one of the best platforms to do it on. Its large and diverse user base, advanced targeting capabilities, and high engagement rates make it a strategic choice for businesses looking to grow their customer base. And its comprehensive Ad Manager tool makes it easy for businesses of all sizes to create and run effective campaigns.

But beyond these obvious advantages, there are other strategic insights that businesses should be aware of when advertising on Hulu.

What sets Hulu apart from other OTT platforms?

Before you approach Hulu advertising, it’s important to remember that it’s somewhat different from other OTT platforms. It requires its own approach.

This is a good thing. It’s what makes Hulu one of the most advertiser-friendly platforms. But it’s also why you need to consider it separately from other OTT platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes Hulu special:

Unique ad formats

Hulu offers a variety of innovative ad formats, such as Binge Ads, which are designed to increase brand awareness and ad recall by delivering contextually relevant messages during a viewer’s binge-watching session.

• Interactive Ads allow for direct viewer engagement, often including QR codes or links to landing pages for more information.
• Pause Ads activate when viewers pause content, providing a non-intrusive ad experience.
• Ad Selector Ads let viewers choose between different ads from the same brand.
• Cover Story Brand Placement Ads are prominently displayed at the top of the Hulu browsing interface​​​​.

Targeted advertising with advanced measurement

Hulu allows for precise audience targeting based on demographics, interests, and viewing habits. It’s supported by Disney’s ownership, which lends the platform more legitimacy and growth potential.

Hulu Ad Manager facilitates targeting and data activation opportunities, letting advertisers use first-party data lists to target ads more effectively. The platform also supports cross-device capabilities, enabling ads to reach users on various devices like smartphones, laptops, and CTVs.

Hulu’s measurement and optimization tools offer insights into brand lift, direct ROI, and other key performance metrics, allowing for data-driven campaign adjustments​​.

Local ads and guaranteed exclusivity

Hulu also caters to small local businesses by allowing them to target ads within specific Nielsen DMA regions, ensuring local exclusivity. This means that ads will only run in designated areas, making it an attractive option for local businesses looking to reach a specific audience​​.

Interactive and engaging experiences

Hulu’s advertising platform is designed to foster greater brand interaction and engagement through its ad formats. Interactive Ads, for example, encourage direct user interaction, potentially including interactive elements like video or image galleries that viewers can explore further​​.

Comprehensive OTT advertising solution

As part of the broader OTT advertising landscape, Hulu offers an exhaustive solution with scale, targetability, and measurability built into it. These three characteristics are absolutely essential for performance marketing because they provide opportunities to connect with high-value audiences through sight, sound, and motion messaging, with a full share of the largest screen in the house​​​​.

Creative Hulu advertising strategies for 2024

As a business owner or advertising professional, you have to approach Hulu advertising with strategies that leverage its unique platform capabilities. You also have to think outside the box to capture the audience’s attention in novel ways. Here are three unique Hulu advertising strategies that are often overlooked:

Localized storytelling with geo-targeted cinematic ads

Utilize Hulu’s ability to target ads based on geographic locations to create highly localized and cinematic ads that resonate with specific communities. For instance, crafting a series of short films or documentaries that highlight local heroes, landmarks, or cultural stories unique to each targeted region.

These ads would not only capture viewers’ attention with compelling storytelling but also create a deep connection by reflecting their local identity and pride​​​​.

Interactive ad sequences for enhanced ad engagement

Develop a series of interactive ads where each ad acts as a “chapter” in an ongoing narrative or game. Viewers would be encouraged to engage with each ad to uncover more of the story or progress through the game levels.

This could involve using Hulu’s interactive ad capabilities to include decision points where viewers choose what happens next, leading to different ad experiences based on their choices. Such an approach would turn passive ad viewing into an engaging activity, increasing brand recall and engagement​​​​.

Cross-promotion with Hulu Originals via co-branded content

Partner with Hulu to create co-branded content that aligns with popular Hulu Originals. This could involve creating special ad content that features characters or themes from Hulu shows, offering behind-the-scenes looks, or exclusive previews tied to your brand.

For example, a fashion brand could create a co-branded ad series showcasing their clothing line as worn by characters in a hit Hulu series, along with exclusive style insights from the show’s costume designers. That way, you can leverage the existing fanbase of Hulu Originals to generate interest and engagement with your ads​​​​.

Final thoughts

Hulu is a unique and powerful platform for advertisers, offering advanced ad formats, precise targeting, and engaging experiences.

But, to truly make the most of this platform’s potential, you need to think creatively and tailor your strategies to its specific capabilities. By doing so, you can take advantage of Hulu’s unique features and reach highly engaged audiences in ways that traditional advertising simply cannot match.