Hulu Will Promote Original Series, Not Live TV Service, During Super Bowl LI

Hulu will air a Super Bowl commercial for "The Handmaid's Tale," making it the first big game commercial from the streaming service for an original series. The 30-second spot will air in the second quarter of Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5. The series, based on the Margaret Atwood book of the same name, will premiere on Hulu on April 26. Interestingly, Hulu chose to promote one of its original series rather than laying groundwork for its upcoming live TV service. The service, which is expected to launch during the first quarter of the year, will be priced under $40, Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins announced earlier this year. Hulu, a joint-venture between Walt Disney, 21st Century Fox, Comcast's NBC Universal and recent minority shareholder Time Warner, made its Super Bowl debut in 2009 with a commercial starring Alec Baldwin. It followed that commercial up with a spot in the 2012 game where it promoted its paid tier, Hulu Plus. That commercial starred Will Arnett as an alien Hulu operator who descends into the subterranean Huluboratory through Milton Berle's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There he pitches Hulu's "latest silver bullet," the paid tier that provides full seasons and series runs for those who'll pay, "in your new favorite place: everywhere."

Hulu Will Promote Original Series, Not Live TV Service, During Super Bowl LI

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