Bango has announced a significant partnership with Disney to boost the reach of Disney+ through its innovative Digital Vending Machine® (DVM™). This collaboration will expand Disney+ availability by enabling select telecom operators and service providers to bundle the streaming service with their consumer offers.
Through this agreement, Disney+—already a dominant player in the global streaming market with 153.8 million subscribers as of August—will be more accessible to potential subscribers in select markets. By integrating with mobile and broadband plans and other consumer services, Bango’s DVM™ opens new indirect channels that can further increase Disney+’s subscriber base.
Disney+ Growth Amidst Streaming Profitability
This partnership comes at a pivotal moment for Disney+. The streaming service has recently marked its first-ever profitable quarter, generating a $47 million profit across its three streaming platforms, including Hulu and ESPN+. This achievement starkly contrasts the $512 million loss reported in the same period last year. Disney’s direct-to-consumer revenue also saw a 15% increase, reaching $6.38 billion, underscoring the company’s robust performance in the streaming market.
Disney+’s subscriber growth also continues on an upward trajectory, with an additional 200,000 subscribers added in Q3 2024. This growth further cements Disney+’s status as a leading streaming service, particularly noteworthy given the service’s rapid ascent to surpass 100 million subscribers—less than two years after its launch in 2019.
Bango’s Role in Super Bundling and Strategic Partnerships
Bango’s expertise in subscription bundling technology plays a crucial role in enabling the expansion of services for platforms like Disney+. The Digital Vending Machine® simplifies the process for mobile operators and service providers to include Disney+ in their promotional and “a la carte” offerings, streamlining consumer subscription management.
Beyond Disney+, Bango is also forging partnerships with other major brands. Recently, Bango announced a strategic partnership with Uber to enhance the reach of its Uber One membership program. This partnership allows Uber One to be bundled with mobile and broadband plans, leveraging Bango’s DVM™ to tap into new subscriber bases globally. These initiatives underscore Bango’s pivotal role in the “Super Bundling” trend, where multiple subscriptions are aggregated into a single, easily managed package.
As the subscription economy grows, Bango’s ability to facilitate such partnerships and bundling options positions it at the forefront of digital content monetization. This trend is expected to reshape how consumers interact with subscription services, with “Super Bundling” emerging as a dominant force in the retail space. Major players like Verizon and Walmart are already exploring this model, signaling a broader industry shift towards bundled subscription offerings.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Bango and Disney+ highlights the increasing importance of indirect subscription channels and underscores the potential for growth in the global streaming market. With Bango’s DVM™ enabling seamless integration of Disney+ into various service bundles, both companies are well-positioned to capitalize on the expanding subscription economy. As Disney+ continues to grow its subscriber base and achieve profitability, partnerships like this one will be crucial in maintaining its competitive edge in the increasingly crowded streaming landscape.
