Hulu is intent on showing it’s not what it was just a year ago.
At its upfront presentation Wednesday in New York, the digital video service touted subscriber growth, a branding change, some major licensing deals, and flaunted the all-star talent — James Franco, J.J. Abrams, and Amy Poehler — that have joined its fold as part of its bulked up original programming slate. All before leading up to its headliner: Jerry Seinfeld, on hand to trumpet “Seinfeld’s” new digital home on Hulu.
“If you take away one thing, it’s that 2015 is the year Hulu will break out,” Hulu Chief Executive Mike Hopkins told the audience of advertisers. “We are investing significantly in content and technology. We have exclusive deals that set Hulu apart and set the stage for our future.”
The company, which is co-owned by 21st Century Fox Inc., Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp., has inked a slew of heavy-hitting licensing deals over the last 12 months, landing subscription video on demand, or SVOD, rights to big shows such as “Empire” and “CSI,” and fuller deals with networks such as FX, Turner, Discovery, E! and Bravo.
Bringing more heft to its lineup, Hulu announced at its presentation that it now has an output deal with AMC Networks — making Hulu the exclusive SVOD home for all future shows AMC Studios will produce for AMC’s portfolio of networks (AMC, WE tv, BBC America, Sundance TV, and IFC), including “Walking Dead” spin-off “Fear the Walking Dead.”
The expanding library is likely to help bolster subscriber growth in the coming year. Hulu subscriptions, according to Hopkins, are up 50 percent in the last year to 9 million. By the end of 2014, total streams increased 77 percent. It was also noted that in the first quarter of 2015, more than 700 million hours had been streamed on Hulu — and those opting to watch on tablet, smartphone or smart TV now exceed those watching on computer.
All that makes its recent announcement that Cablevision Systems will begin selling Hulu’s premium subscription service to its customers all the more fitting.
But perhaps putting the biggest pep in Hulu’s step came from having landed the SVOD rights to one of TV’s biggest comedies, which it confirmed at its presentation. The massive licensing deal’s per-episode value is in the $700,000 to $1 million range.
Craig Erwich, the head of content for Hulu, told the crowd he has received “more emails, letters and text messages about one thing: a show about nothing.”
Hulu also sang the praises of its upcoming original series, parading the all-star names that are attached onstage, including J.J. Abrams, James Franco for the drama series “11/22/63” (based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name); Jason Reitman and Zander Lehmann for family comedy “Casual”; Amy Poehler for “Difficult People,” which stars Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner; and “Friday Night Lights” and “Parenthood” mastermind Jason Katims, who is executive producing family drama “The Way.”
The company, somewhat casually, also noted that the “plus” part of Hulu Plus will phase out later this year to help combat any brand confusion and help unify marketing efforts. This was a detail that Poehler felt compelled to acknowledge — “Our condolences to the ‘plus’ in Hulu Plus,” she told the crowd.
