The premium streaming viewer represents the epitome of the highly sought-after audience in today’s advertising ecosystem.

Consumer behavior has increasingly shifted to connected viewing experiences, all while the landscape for video advertising has never been more complex. These viewers are not just passive recipients of content. They are highly engaged, selective and accustomed to personalized experiences and engaging this audience is critical for brands and advertisers. In this all-star panel moderated by Michael Kassan, Disney’s Jamie Power, Tubi’s Nicole Parlapiano and Roku’s Jay Askinasi share insight into their view of the streaming viewer and how this valuable cohort is driving their businesses–and the industry–forward.

"We firmly believe that the monoculture is dead, especially when it comes to younger viewers. They are on different platforms and communities…and they have a bit more of an exotic palette. We try to cater to that and our growth is leaning into that audience very deliberately."


- Nicole Parlapiano, Tubi


Gone are the days when the streaming viewer is known as the streaming-only, cord-never millennial. Streaming viewers now represent a broad swath of generations and demographics, and more importantly–they are not exclusively viewing streaming content. They are increasingly viewing content across platforms. Pitting streaming against television is an antiquated binary, as moderator Michael Kassan pointed out, because in reality, that’s pitting television against television.

Instead, today’s advertisers need to look at television holistically across platforms to maximize reach against their target audience. “For us, it’s more about identifying the audience they want to reach, and then helping them find the optimal mix,” stated Power. “Marketers want the content and the audience irrespective of the distribution endpoint,” Askinaski agreed.

"Those who play nice and make it easy for the buyside to buy are the ones who will win."

- Jamie Power, The Walt Disney Company

As streaming cements its place in the mainstream, what will define the next phase of streaming, and who will come out on top? Across the board, our panelists agreed that the players who make streaming a seamless experience for both buyers and viewers are the ones who will win the streaming arms race. The key to that is interoperability. “If you try to watch a sports game now, you have to pull out your phone to Google [how to watch it] and that’s just not a sustainable model,” Power pointed out. “We’re trying to make it easier for the viewer.” 

"Marketers want to understand more about the rest of their media, and partnership and interoperability is the only way to get there."


- Jay Askinasi, Roku

It’s not only about the user and advertiser experience, it’s also about the content itself. Streaming companies will come out ahead by not overlooking the cultural capital and staying power of older or acquired content, Parlapiano argued. “What people are watching is not all these hit shows we’re spending tons of money on,” she said. “By far and large, we have generations coming into entertainment that have a different perspective on what entertainment is.”