Disney Streaming Bundle Finds New Ears with Radio Ad Campaign

The Disney bundle made a noteworthy move into the top five of this week’s Spot Ten Radio rankings from Media Monitors, signaling a strategic push by Disney to leverage radio’s broad reach to expand its Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ subscriber base.

Climbing from sixth place the previous week to fifth for the period of March 24–30, the bundle’s ad campaign is now among the most-aired radio spots nationally. The surge in placements comes at a time when competition for streaming dollars is intensifying, and brand differentiation through mass media is more critical than ever.

December analysis from Cumulus Media and Westwood One’s Audio Active Group, based on Screen Engine/ASI data, shows that audio is playing a growing role in video streamers’ marketing strategies. With Nielsen reporting streaming now accounts for 40% of total TV time, consumers are also shifting from ad-free to more affordable ad-supported subscriptions. The average number of ad-free services per person dropped from 4.8 to 3.8 from Spring 2023 to Fall 2024, while ad-supported options rose.

The study points to a strong overlap between streaming audiences and audio consumers — especially younger adults, families, and working professionals — groups less likely to be reached by traditional TV.

Despite video streamers spending 92% of their media budgets on TV, ad recall is just as strong among heavy podcast and AM/FM listeners as it is with heavy TV viewers. And shifting even 20% of Hulu’s TV ad budget to AM/FM radio increased its reach by 76%, with triple-digit growth in key age brackets.

While wireless carriers and insurance giant Progressive continue to hold sway over the top of the rankings, Disney is the only entertainment streaming brand in the top five this week. The effort highlights a broader trend of cross-channel marketing, where even digitally native services are turning to legacy platforms like radio to build awareness and drive conversions in key local markets.