Disney+ will launch November 12th with a projected 1.9 million pre-order subscribers to kick things off strong. Those are stellar numbers for people who are willing to pay for exclusive Disney and Fox content, especially for a streaming platform that’s just begun to surface. Things look impressive so far, but Disney isn’t quite happy being overshadowed by Netflix which has a remarkable 60.6 million subscribers in the U.S. alone. Disney has barely tipped the iceberg when it comes to the world of streaming, but their platform does offer some key advantages and unique marketing differences.
As much as we’ve discussed about Disney+ in the past, it’s important to understand how their exclusivity and unique streaming works. Disney+ isn’t meant to be a database chalk full of assorted and incoming movies, it’s meant to capitalize on its own brand. What does this mean? Well, Disney+ has the perfect resource to draw from: Disney itself. The new streaming site is promoting the must-haves of classic Disney films, television shows, and other major franchises like Star Wars or Marvel.
Case in point, Disney has already based some of their marketing appeal on their flagship title, The Mandalorian. Along with shows like these, Disney+ hopes to take over Netflix in being the hub to MCU and other of its own properties.
In the meanwhile, however, the estimated 2 million isn’t making a big difference when you’re mentioning giant names like Netflix. Compared to Netflix’s worldwide subscribers, Disney+ is only reaching 3% of its total audience. Analysis does suggest that Disney will grow back over time post- launch, so there’s still hope yet as Disney still has its name on franchises like The Avengers.
Both services are reputable and excellent in the market, and some mention that there’s room for the two. It’s not out of the question to also have Disney+ for those exclusives either. While it does start small, new shows like Marvel spin offs and The Mandalorian along with other memorable Disney classics give it a serious chance in the uphill battle to fight Netflix in subscription count.