Binge will introduce advertising on its streaming platform next year, its parent company Foxtel Group has announced.
On the question of pricing and whether subscribers will opt-in to a cheaper subscription offering which has ads, a spokesperson said: “The Binge ad tier will launch with an in-built audience scale, meaning there will be immediate access to a buyable audience. The cost has not been determined as yet and there’s no set date for when that information will be released.”
The new offering will launch in the first quarter of 2023.
Advertisers will be able to book pre and mid-roll ads on Binge, but ads will be capped at four minutes per hour and a frequency cap of one hour per user. Select solus breaks will also be offered.
Mark Frain, CEO of Foxtel Media, said Binge would change the game for entertainment advertising in the same way that Kayo did for sports.
“Opening up advertising on Binge is going to allow brands to appear alongside some truly world-class content and add immense scale to our network,” he said. “We are emphasising the power of the weighty one-two punch of advertising on Kayo and Binge simultaneously.
“At the same time, we are being extremely careful about our offerings to ensure that we safeguard the watchability of Binge that our subscribers treasure, which will ultimately have great benefits for brands as well.”
He noted that Foxtel and its team were “old hands” at this kind of integration and said he’s confident the experience will deliver for both brands and subscribers.
“The Foxtel network is not a newcomer to the arena of ad-supported subscription TV,” he said.
“We have years of experience under our belts and have successfully transitioned several services to avenues that allow brands and agencies to connect with audiences in unique formats and on different levels.”
Alison Hurbert-Burns, executive director of Binge, added: “In two short years we have built Binge into a household name. We know that quality and variety are the drivers when it comes to choosing a streaming service, and at Binge we connect the critically acclaimed and the popular.
“Introducing advertising on the platform represents a truly valuable opportunity for marketers who are looking to connect with a passionate, engaged and loyal audience. This is the next level of watchability for Binge.”
The announcement was part of Foxtel’s Upfront event, which also revealed a new drama series for Binge, “Strife”, based on Mia Freedman’s memoir.
It also comes after rival streamers such as Netflix have introduced an advertising tier.