When you wish upon a star, you may have to sit through an ad for a car. Disney+ has recently introduced a cheaper ad-version of their streaming service as a new way to turn a profit. (Are we really that surprised? Mickey has ALWAYS been about the cheddar.) Considered a “building block” for their goal of 260 million long-term subscribers, this ad-option hopes to attract new subscribers and appease investors during a time when streaming services seem to be struggling for air. So how are they doing it? With a four-minute advertising limit for each hour of viewing time (to cater to fickle and ad-averse customers), and, more importantly, with the help of 100 brands who have decided it’s worthwhile to buy some ad space from a Mouse. You may start to see ads from Mercedes, Lego, Nintendo, and even Disney World itself. Huh. Maybe that’s what Walt Disney meant by, “If you can stream it, you can do it.”
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