With 6 in 10 U.S. adults now watching content on streaming platforms like Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, and Max, it’s clear that consumer behavior has shifted for good.
In fact, viewers now spend twice as much time watching streaming content as they do watching live TV, making it the perfect time to advertise on Hulu and meet your audience where they are.
If you’re looking to reach on-demand audiences with precision and scale, advertising on Hulu remains one of the most effective strategies in today’s streaming-first world. As one of the leading ad-supported platforms, Hulu offers advertisers access to premium inventory, advanced targeting tools, and measurable campaign performance, all in a brand-safe environment.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to advertise on Hulu in 2026, including ad formats, targeting capabilities, Hulu advertising rates, and what impacts the overall cost of Hulu advertising.
Whether you’re just exploring the idea or ready to launch your first campaign, you’ll find actionable tips to make your streaming strategy a success.
What is Hulu advertising?
Hulu advertising refers to the placement of video ads within the Hulu streaming platform, one of the most popular destinations for ad-supported video content in the United States with over 54 million subscribers. When you advertise on Hulu, your ads appear before, during, or after TV shows and movies that users stream across devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles, and connected TVs (CTV).
Hulu ads fall under the category of over-the-top (OTT) advertising, which means they’re delivered via internet streaming rather than traditional broadcast or cable. These ads are typically non-skippable, ensuring high completion rates and strong viewer attention. Advertising on Hulu offers a unique opportunity to reach engaged audiences in a brand-safe, premium environment.
You can learn more about Hulu’s ad platform directly on their official advertising page.
How to Advertise on Hulu: Direct vs. Programmatic Options
If you’re wondering how to advertise on Hulu, there are two main paths: directly through Hulu Ad Manager or programmatically through a demand-side platform (DSP).
Because Hulu is owned by Disney, you may also see references to Disney Ad Manager, which is simply a broader version of Hulu’s ad platform. Advertisers can sign up for the Hulu Ad Manager beta to create campaigns that run exclusively on Hulu, or expand their reach across other Disney-owned streaming platforms like Disney+ and ESPN+.
While going direct can give you access to Hulu’s native ad placements, it also comes with limitations. Hulu advertising costs through the direct platform tend to be higher, and targeting options may be more limited, especially for advertisers looking to use first-party or third-party data.
That’s why many marketers choose to advertise on Hulu through a DSP. Demand-side platforms offer more flexibility, often lower Hulu advertising rates, and the ability to bring your own data for one-to-one audience targeting.
Curious about what a DSP is?
👉 Read our guide: What is a Demand-Side Platform?
Using a Demand-Side Platform for Programmatic Hulu Advertising
One example of using a demand-side platform for Hulu advertising is the Untitled DSP, which allows advertisers to sync their customer data, build custom audiences, and serve ads to viewers while they stream content on Hulu and other premium channels.
DSPs can also access Hulu inventory via secondary auctions, which often translates to more cost-effective placements. For brands just getting started with OTT and CTV advertising, using a DSP can be a smarter, more scalable approach to advertising on Hulu.
How Much Does Hulu Advertising Cost in 2026?
If you’re exploring how to advertise on Hulu, one of the first questions you’ll ask is: What’s the cost of Hulu advertising?
Hulu requires a minimum ad spend of $500 per campaign when using Hulu Ad Manager. Beyond that, Hulu advertising rates are typically priced on a cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis, ranging from $20 to $50 CPM depending on your audience targeting, ad format, and time of year.
While that may be more expensive than traditional digital channels like Facebook or Google Ads, it’s important to remember you’re buying premium, brand-safe OTT inventory in a highly engaged environment.
However, for advertisers looking to improve efficiency, using a demand-side platform (DSP) like the Untitled DSP can significantly reduce the cost of Hulu advertising. By leveraging your own first-party data, or using second-party data through the Untitled ID Tag, you can run hyper-targeted campaigns, such as retargeting high-intent users who haven’t converted yet.
This approach not only allows you to reach viewers with greater relevance, but it can also cut costs by avoiding broad, untargeted impressions. For many brands, advertising on Hulu through a DSP unlocks top-of-funnel scale while still driving measurable performance deeper in the funnel.
Pricing Pros and Cons: Hulu Ad Manager vs Demand-Side Platforms
Types of Hulu Ads: What Ad Formats Are Available?
If you’re planning to advertise on Hulu, it’s important to understand the various ad formats available. All Hulu advertising placements are video-based, generally ranging from 15 to 30 seconds, though some shorter formats (as brief as 7 seconds) are also available depending on campaign goals.
While some premium ad placements, such as branded slates or cover stories, are typically reserved for major brand partnerships through Disney Advertising, Hulu also offers a range of ad types suitable for brands of all sizes.
Here’s a breakdown of the most common Hulu ad formats available in 2026:
- Ad Selector Ads: The Ad Selector format lets viewers choose between multiple versions of your ad. This interactive format assumes that users are more likely to engage with ads they select themselves. You’ll need to create two or three versions of your video, allowing Hulu users to pick which one they want to watch.
- Binge Ads: Binge ads offer exclusive sponsorship opportunities for viewers watching multiple episodes in one sitting. These ads appear at the start of a binge session and give the viewer a mostly ad-free experience afterward, meaning your brand gets the spotlight, with no competition for attention during the viewing session.
- Interactive Ads: Interactive ads offer viewers a direct path to your landing page or product offering. These dynamic formats can feature clickable elements, animations, or calls-to-action that encourage users to engage. They’re perfect for brands looking to drive traffic or conversions directly from the Hulu platform.
- Pause Ads: Pause ads are subtle yet effective. When a viewer pauses their show or movie, your branded creative appears on the screen, often including QR codes or animated visuals. These Hulu ads are non-disruptive and offer a great opportunity for brand exposure without interrupting the user experience.
- Standard Video Commercials: These are the most widely used ads on Hulu, traditional video commercials shown before, during, or after streaming content. They can range from 7 to 30 seconds and are ideal for running brand awareness, product launches, or retargeting campaigns using first-party data through a DSP.
Each ad format offers a different level of engagement and cost. Whether you’re testing performance with short-form video or investing in an exclusive sponsorship, advertising on Hulu gives you the flexibility to align with your marketing goals and budget.
Ad Selector Ads
Binge Ads
Interactive Ads
Pause Ads
Video Commercials
Benefits of Hulu Advertising for Brands in 2026
Once you understand the platform and ad formats, the next question is: Is Hulu advertising worth it for your brand? For many advertisers, the answer is a resounding yes, especially when you’re looking to drive awareness, engagement, and measurable ROI in a premium, brand-safe environment.
Here are a few reasons why more marketers are choosing to advertise on Hulu:
- Massive Reach: With over 112 million monthly viewers in the U.S., Hulu is a leading ad-supported TV streaming service. It offers access to a wide and diverse audience, including cord-cutters and younger viewers who are increasingly unreachable through traditional TV.
- Advanced Targeting: Unlike other platforms, advertising on Hulu allows you to target by:
- Genre (e.g., drama, comedy, documentary)
- Audience interest
- Geographic location (down to the ZIP code)
- This combination of precision targeting and streaming reach is something newer platforms like TikTok or YouTube TV are still working to match.
- Higher Ad Effectiveness: Hulu’s interactive Ad Selector feature isn’t just novel, it’s proven to work. According to internal research:
- Ad Selector increases brand recall by 150% over traditional TV ads
- It lifts purchase intent by 24%.
- Hulu ads are nearly 200% more effective at driving top-of-mind awareness compared to standard digital ad formats.
When you advertise with Hulu, you’re not just buying impressions; you’re gaining access to engaged viewers who choose to interact with your brand. That kind of opt-in experience is rare in today’s noisy advertising landscape, and it’s part of what makes Hulu advertising so powerful for top-of-funnel growth and long-term brand equity.
How to Start Advertising on Hulu
Ready to launch your first Hulu advertising campaign? The process is simple, but before you begin, you’ll need to decide how you want to buy media: directly through Hulu Ad Manager, or programmatically via a demand-side platform (DSP) like Untitled.
Here’s how to get started, depending on which path you choose:
Option 1: Buying Directly with Hulu Ad Manager
Hulu Ad Manager is Hulu’s self-service platform, ideal for small-to-midsize businesses that want to advertise on Hulu without going through an agency or external tool.
Here’s how to launch a campaign:
- Sign up at Hulu Ad Manager. This will enroll you in Hulu’s Ad Manager beta program.
- Set your campaign schedule and budget based on your goals.
- Define your target audience using Hulu’s built-in filters for location, audience interest, content genre, and more.
- Upload your video ad creative for review. If you don’t have one ready, check out Hulu’s recommended creative partners or explore external production help.
- Enter your payment information (credit card required).
- Once approved, your ad will begin running! You can monitor performance directly in Hulu Ad Manager.
This path is ideal if you’re testing the platform or running a localized campaign, but you’ll have limited options for advanced targeting or integrating your own data.
Option 2: Buying Through a Demand-Side Platform Like Untitled
For advertisers looking for more control, better targeting, and potentially lower Hulu advertising costs, using a DSP like Untitled is often the smarter choice.
Here’s how it works:
- Set up your account with the Untitled DSP.
- Navigate to the Campaigns page and create your campaign, define your audience segments, budgets, CPM bids, and desired channels (like Hulu, Peacock, Max, etc.).
- Upload your audience segments, creative assets, and final landing page URL.
- Once approved, your campaign will start serving across premium OTT inventory, including Hulu, with full transparency and reporting.
Using a DSP also allows you to layer on demographic, behavioral, and intent-based data to make your advertising on Hulu even more personalized and effective.
Whether you choose to go direct or programmatic, getting started with Hulu advertising in 2026 has never been more accessible. And with platforms like Untitled, you don’t need a massive media budget to see meaningful results.
Pros and Cons of Hulu Ad Manager vs Using a Demand-Side Platform
About the Untitled DSP
The Untitled DSP is built for modern marketers who want to go further with their advertising without spending more. Our vertically integrated platform gives you direct access to premium OTT and CTV inventory, including Hulu, at up to 50% lower CPMs than buying through traditional platforms.
More than 100 leading brands trust Untitled to:
- Activate first-party data and turn it into performance-driving audiences
- Retarget users one-to-one across 93% of the web, including on Hulu
- Eliminate wasteful spend by avoiding markups and fraudulent traffic
- Manage full-funnel campaigns across Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other major streaming platforms, all from one account
By combining wholesale media buying power with precision targeting and real-time optimization, the Untitled DSP helps you convert audience insight into business growth, with unmatched efficiency and transparency.
Whether you’re looking to advertise on Hulu, expand your CTV strategy, or reduce your overall cost of customer acquisition, Untitled is your partner in data-driven, ROI-focused media buying.
Start advertising smarter today. Create your profile and launch your first campaign.
