How The Streaming Giant Will Now Be Bringing You Game Of Thrones
Just in time for the Game of Thrones madness, Hulu has announced that they will now offer HBO and Cinemax subscriptions as add-ons through their premium subscription. This is big news for both companies, as it will only amplify both brands and their product placement.
In this blog, Hollywood Branded looks at the new strategic partnership between HBO and Hulu and what this deal means for streaming content.
What Does This Deal Entail?
For $14.99 more per month, Hulu Premium subscribers can now access HBO's programming along with their original content. And for another $9.99, subscribers can have unlimited access to Cinemax as well, all in one place.
This is the latest move for content producers to try to streamline their content viewing experience. And a partnership like this is very powerful.
Comcast's Xfinity made a similar attempt earlier this year, however an important distinction is that users need a separate subscription to HBO in order to access it from Xfinity. In their deal with HBO, Hulu users need only one subscription to cover all three services.
Of course, users will be paying more than just for Hulu alone, however to purchase HBO Now, HBO's standalone streaming service with access to all their content is $15 a month, virtually the same cost of having adding it to Hulu Premium and having it all in one place.
HBO Now is only accessible with a regular HBO subscription through cable companies, and with so many people "cutting cords" an all-in-one streaming subscription is an attractive alternative.
Timing Is Everything
What is so great about the strategic partnership is its timing - Game of Thrones is just around the corner, which catches fans or those who want to get into the show at the perfect time to binge-watch for the premiere.
Its marketing is brilliant too. Using both clips from Game of Thrones and clips referencing GOT from content carried by Hulu, including Saturday Night Live and Key and Peele, they mesh together smart ads for social media to promote the partnership.
This is important for brand marketers because Hulu original content will undoubtedly have more eyes, making its product placement all the more valuable. And, of course, the same is true for HBO and Cinemax shows, like Insecure and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. The value of product placement - and the needs for brand involvement are only just beginning their exponential upward momentum.
Could Product Placement Help Your Brand? Of Course!
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