Behind Tubi’s brand-focused marketing approach

Selecting from the overabundance of streaming apps or identifying which one holds the desired show or film can be overwhelming. As such, it makes sense that many streamers market themselves to consumers via their content. Tubi, however, has taken a different approach to its marketing, focusing on the free-to-use platform’s brand rather than the library it contains. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, check us out on Spotify and hear us on Stitcher. This is our RSS feed. Tell a friend! “Tubi, among all the FAST [platforms], took a much more brand-forward position, and we’re not just giving the message of free and we’re not relying on original content,” said Tubi Chief Marketing Officer Nicole Parlapiano, who has been with the platform since August 2022, speaking on a new episode of the Marketer’s Brief podcast. (FAST stands for free ad-supported television and includes competitors such as Pluto TV.)More news: Industry tries to define premium video “We’re a mindset, and we’re a vibe, and we’re an experience. What we do best is celebrate the individual tastes of all of our viewers … instead of having a more pushed approach on what’s on Tubi and this is what we want you to watch,” Parlapiano said. Tubi’s monthly active users have surpassed 70 million and 33% of the platform’s viewers don’t use other ad-supported streaming services, parent company Fox stated in its most recent quarterly earnings report. During the quarter ending Sept. 30, viewing time on Tubi jumped 65% compared with the year-earlier quarter, according to Fox. On the podcast, Parlapiano spoke about this year’s Super Bowl, which was a turning point for the brand. A spot created with agency Mischief used talent from Fox’s broadcast to trick users into thinking their smart TVs were swapping from the game to Tubi’s platform. Read more: How Tubi tricked Super Bowl viewers “I’m super bullish on Super Bowl, especially for brands that have never done it before,” said Parlapiano. “You see a lot of hyper-growth companies that are under eight years old that easily spend that on performance marketing over a two-month period. And that’s good—you’ll get users, but you’re not building towards anything … On an overall basis, [Super Bowl] is a pretty good freakin’ bang for your buck if you are ready to come to the table with great creative.” But Tubi does not currently have plans to return during next year’s Super Bowl, Parlapiano said. (This year's game was on Fox, giving Tubi a natural entry into the game, while CBS will air the 2024 Super Bowl.) Parlapiano also discussed Tubi’s strategy for responding to pop culture news and buzzy releases from competitors; how new AI tools in streaming can help marketers reach their target audiences; and how marketers can be more responsive to cultural moments. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs

Behind Tubi’s brand-focused marketing approach

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