Hulu Advertising in 2025: Complete Guide for Marketers

by The MNTN Team

9 Min Read

Hulu remains a dominant force in streaming, offering advertisers premium, brand-safe inventory, and advanced targeting capabilities on one of the most popular ad-supported platforms. As Hulu’s ad offerings evolve in 2025, marketers have more opportunities than ever to reach engaged, on-demand audiences with precision and measurable impact.

This guide covers everything you need to know—from ad formats and targeting options to pricing and campaign best practices—to make the most of Hulu advertising this year.

Note: MNTN does not currently offer Hulu inventory, so this article is purely informational.

What Is Hulu Advertising?

Hulu advertising involves creating non-skippable ads that are shown to customers as they watch shows and movies on the streaming platform. It’s a type of over-the-top (OTT) advertising that allows advertisers to target Hulu audiences based on demographics, location, and interests.

Hulu lets people stream TV shows, movies, and original content on smart TVs, phones, computers, and other connected devices. Although Hulu offers an ad-free subscription option, some of its on-demand and live content requires the platform to play a short ad before and after an episode anyway.

Benefits of Hulu Advertising

Hulu’s premium streaming environment offers advertisers high-quality placements, precise targeting, and measurable results to maximize campaign performance.

1. Access to Premium, Brand-Safe Inventory

Hulu ensures ads run alongside professionally produced, high-quality content, keeping brands away from low-quality, user-generated material. Advertisers gain access to top-tier streaming shows, movies, and live TV, guaranteeing a safe and trusted environment for their messaging.

2. Advanced Audience Targeting Capabilities

With Hulu’s data-driven targeting, advertisers can reach audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and viewing habits. The platform also supports first- and third-party data integration, allowing brands to refine their targeting and improve ad relevance.

3. High Viewer Engagement and Ad Recall

Hulu viewers are actively engaged, often watching on large screens in distraction-free environments, leading to higher ad completion rates. Studies show streaming TV ads drive stronger brand recall compared to traditional TV or social media ads.

4. Flexible Ad Formats for Every Campaign Goal

Hulu offers a variety of CTV ad formats, including binge ads, interactive ads, and pause ads, allowing brands to customize their approach. Whether the goal is brand awareness, lead generation, or direct conversions, Hulu provides versatile solutions to match any strategy.

5. Measurable Performance with Robust Analytics

Hulu’s real-time reporting tools give advertisers deep insights into impressions, completion rates, and audience engagement. With advanced attribution models, marketers can track how Hulu ads contribute to overall campaign performance and conversions.

How Does Hulu Advertising Work?

You can advertise on Hulu using the self-service Ad Manager. To get started, you need to sign your business up and determine where you want to advertise. Disney bought a majority stake in Hulu in 2019, which means you can also advertise on Disney+, ESPN+, and other networks, depending on your account level.

Once you have an account, you can create and post ads through Ad Manager.

Hulu Ad Manager, Explained

Hulu Ad Manager is a self-service tool that gives you total control over your ads. After creating an account, you can use it to set budgets, choose your ad targets, and pick your placements. Ad Manager offers in-depth articles and tutorials you can use to determine which ad strategy is right for your business. Even though this is a self-service platform, it’s designed to guide you through the process of running an ad campaign.

Types of Hulu Ads

Hulu offers multiple ad types from which you can choose. We’ll break them down here.

Ad Selector Ads

Ad selector gives viewers the option to pick between different ads from the same company. Ad selector assumes that potential customers will engage more with an ad they choose to watch. When you select this ad type, you will make two or three different versions of your ad so viewers can choose the one they want to see.

Binge Ads

Binge ads are exclusive sponsorships that run at the beginning of a series, allowing viewers to watch the series mostly ad-free. When you choose this type of ad, you aren’t competing with other vendors for airtime. Viewers see ads only from your company, potentially making the ads more memorable.

Interactive Ads

These ads differ from typical television ads because they direct Hulu viewers to your landing page. Interactive ads allow potential customers to learn more about your products and their features as well as your services and your company.

Pause Ads

If someone is binging multiple episodes of a show, they’ll likely have to hit pause every once in a while. Pause ads overlay the screen when a person pauses the show. With this ad type, you can use QR codes, animation, and other elements to interest viewers before they restart their show.

Video Commercials

Video commercials are the typical ads that are shown before, during, and after shows. You can make video ads as short as seven seconds or as long as 30 seconds. These ads are great for getting started on the platform and testing out targeting and other features.

How To Advertise on Hulu

If you’re ready to start targeting Hulu customers, follow these steps.

1. Log In to Your Hulu Ad Manager Account

Once you’ve logged in, you’ll be prompted to create a campaign. If you’ve already created multiple campaigns, you can check out the performance metrics dashboard (but more on that later).

2. Set Up Your Campaign Details and Budget

Hulu’s Ad Manager will offer prompts for information about your campaign. Start by entering the date range for which you want the ad to run. Next, enter your budget and the type of ad you want to run.

3. Choose Your Target Audience

Hulu offers multiple targeting options. You can target by ZIP code, interests, and even the type of content a person is watching.

4. Upload Your Video

At this stage, you’ll upload your video for review and pay for your ad. Improve your chances of approval with a video that meets the right ad specs and follows the site’s terms and conditions.

5. Measure Your Performance

Once your ad is up and running, you can use the reporting feature on Hulu’s Ad Manager to track your performance. Use this data to improve future ad campaigns by changing your messaging or targeting different groups.

Hulu Advertising Costs, Explained

Hulu’s advertising costs are relatively inexpensive, with a $500 minimum ad spend per campaign. However, overall costs vary based on several key factors. Here’s what influences pricing:

Ad Format – Options like standard video ads, interactive ads, or pause ads each have different cost structures.
Audience Targeting – The more precise your targeting (e.g., demographics, interests, or behavioral data), the higher the cost.
Campaign Duration & Frequency – Longer campaigns and higher ad frequencies require a larger budget.
Bidding Competition – Prices fluctuate based on demand, with premium inventory and peak viewing times costing more.
Buying Method – Costs differ between self-serve (Hulu Ad Manager), programmatic, and direct deals with Hulu for guaranteed placements.

Ultimately, the cost depends on campaign goals, targeting strategies, and the level of premium inventory selected.

Hulu Ads Best Practices

To maximize engagement and performance on Hulu, advertisers should focus on high-quality creative, strategic messaging, and data-driven optimization.

1. Use High-Quality, Engaging Creative

Hulu viewers expect cinematic, premium content, so your ads should match that standard with crisp visuals, clear audio, and compelling storytelling. Strong creative ensures your brand stands out and resonates with audiences in a high-quality streaming environment.

2. Keep Ads Concise and to the Point

Today’s audiences have limited attention spans, so your message should be clear, engaging, and delivered within the first few seconds. Shorter ads (15–30 seconds) tend to perform best, ensuring viewers stay engaged without losing interest.

3. Align Your Messaging with Popular Hulu Content

Ads that feel relevant to the content being watched create a more seamless viewing experience. Consider referencing themes, genres, or storytelling styles from top Hulu programming to make your brand feel more integrated and engaging.

4. Incorporate Strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Your ad should guide viewers toward a specific next step, whether that’s visiting a website, making a purchase, or signing up for a service. Use clear, direct CTAs like “Shop Now” or “Learn More” to drive measurable action.

5. A/B Test Different Creative Variations

Testing multiple versions of your ad allows you to identify what resonates most with your audience. Experiment with different visuals, messaging, and CTA placements to optimize performance and maximize engagement.

Why You Need Performance TV

Looking for a better way to reach streaming audiences beyond Hulu? MNTN’s platform gives you direct access to premium Connected TV inventory across top ad-supported streaming networks—without the high costs or restrictions of platform-specific buys. With AI-powered targeting, real-time optimization, and measurable attribution, you get full control over your campaigns and their performance.

Here’s what you get with MNTN Performance TV:

Premium CTV Inventory – Run your ads on leading ad-supported streaming services, reaching engaged viewers without Hulu’s limitations.
MNTN Matched – AI-driven audience targeting ensures your ads reach the right viewers at the right time for maximum impact.
Verified Visits™ Attribution – Tracks site visits and conversions tied directly to ad exposure, giving you clear performance insights.
Automated Optimization – AI continuously fine-tunes your campaign to maximize efficiency and eliminate wasted spend.
Reporting Suite – Get real-time insights into campaign performance, audience engagement, and ROI to make data-driven decisions.

Expand beyond Hulu and run high-performance TV marketing campaigns with MNTN’s self-serve software—sign up today.

Advertising on Hulu: Final Thoughts

Hulu’s subscription model and broad user base make it a great resource for targeting your audience. Ad Manager makes creating Hulu advertising campaigns easy and affordable. With a minimum ad spend of $500 per campaign, this is a great way to get your feet wet with CTV.