$30 for Mulan
Instead of premiering in theaters, Mulan is coming direct to Disney+ on September 4. Unlike with Hamilton access will not be included with a standard Disney+ subscription. Instead viewers will need to fork over an additional $30. Disney+ subscribers will be able to use in-app purchasing on Apple, Google and Roku devices rather than having to buy on Disneyplus.com and then return to the device of choice. Unlike the PVOD release of titles such as Trolls Worlds, those that purchase Mulan will have continued access to the film as long as they remain Disney+ subscribers. That’s somewhere in between a rental and purchase as you must keep subscribing to keep access. The access-over-ownership model is indeed evolving.
The NPD Take:
- The timing of the Disney+ service release could not have been better. No one expected a pandemic that shuttered theaters and forced the in-home release of tent-pole titles. Having DTC distribution at this time is giving Disney everything it needs to maximize revenues and test new distribution options.
- As we progress through 2020 and see additional PVOD releases it will provide a greater understanding of how much and how often viewers are really willing to pay for a premium in-home experience.
26.5m MAUs
ViacomCBS purchased Pluto TV back in January 2019 and since then the company has significantly expanded the content array. In the past year the service experienced 61 percent growth in monthly active users, now at 26.5m. As more free streaming services enter the market, and viewer usage increases, it will be critically important to continue to add programming. To date, the service has been focused on classics such as "Three's Company," "Star Trek: The Next Generation." And unlike many competitors, PlutoTV has access to the broader ViacomCBS library. In many ways it is beginning to represent traditional basic linear cable, a service viewers are increasingly looking for alternative, free, ways to replace.
The NPD Take:
- Timing, again, was great as cash strapped viewers stuck at home searched for alternative options to stream video, and like Disney+, Pluto TV was already established.
- Content is king, as such the continued expansion of Pluto TV programming will be critical to increasing viewer engagements levels.