ViacomCBS’s Pluto TV Launches $30 Million Ad Campaign, Touts Enhanced Features

Facing heightened competition in ad-supported streaming video, ViacomCBS-owned Pluto TV has launched a new branding campaign  its biggest to date with plans to spend $30 million on the effort in 2020. Pluto TV, a central plank in ViacomCBS’s overall streaming strategy, last year grew active monthly users 75% to 22.4 million in the U.S. The service provides over 250 live streaming channels, organized into a TV-like channel guide. Now the media conglomerate wants even more users to flock to Pluto TV via the new multimillion-dollar campaign with the tagline “Drop In. It’s Free.” The marketing message is focused on the streaming service’s ease of use and zero cost to watch. The ads, which begin running March 2 on TV, billboards and digital platforms, highlight “Project Venetia,” an upgrade to Pluto TV’s interface that is currently live on Apple, Vizio and Roku devices with releases set for others including Android and Amazon Fire TV.