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Hulu Stumbles on the Big Stage
Plus, an audacious ode to stunt doubles.
Welcome to The TV Room. Your weekly digest of television, streaming, and digital media insights that matter.
This week we're covering:
💢 Hulu Blacks Out on Movie Night
💊 RFK Calls Foul on Pharma Ads
🎥 Creative Spotlight: Kiehl’s: “The Maverick”
🦸 The Oscars Unlikely Avengers
Hulu’s Oscars Stream Suffers Growing Pains
Hulu's first-ever Oscars live stream hit some major technical snags Sunday night, frustrating viewers and advertisers alike during Hollywood's biggest event of the year.
The problems started right as hosts Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande took the Dolby Theatre stage, with over 30,000 users reporting login issues. While Hulu eventually resolved the authentication problems about two hours into the show, more drama was yet to come.
In an embarrassing scheduling snafu, many viewers had their streams cut off before the night's biggest awards - Best Actress and Best Picture - were announced. Instead of seeing the winners, they got a "Thanks for watching!" message.
"Yesterday evening, we experienced technical and livestream issues on Hulu which impacted some Oscars viewers," a Disney spokesperson said in a statement. "We apologize for the experience."
The glitches come at a pivotal time for both streaming and awards shows:
This was the first-ever Oscars live stream, as broadcasters race to reach younger viewers who've abandoned traditional TV
ABC's current Oscars deal expires in 2028, with streamers like Netflix (who successfully aired the SAG Awards) potentially in the mix
Disney had just sold out all Oscars ad inventory at premium rates of $1.7-2.3 million per 30-second spot
While a full replay is now available on both Hulu and Disney+, the technical difficulties brought to light the challenges streamers face in handling major live events. As more tentpole programming shifts to streaming, providers will need to prove they can deliver the reliability viewers expect from traditional broadcast TV.
Read More:
Are black boxes in ad tech the price we have to pay for AI and performance marketing? Some platforms want you to think so. This week’s buzz around the MNTN S1 and a Wall Street Journal article on AI highlights a growing problem: advertisers are being asked to trust opaque systems without questioning how results are actually generated.
What’s the real cost of not knowing how your ad dollars generate sales? And why are some companies using AI as a shield against accountability? Black-box methodologies aren’t an inevitable part of modern advertising—they’re a calculated choice that benefits platforms at advertisers' expense.
Black boxes actively harm advertisers by hiding crucial insights and fostering dependence. At tvScientific, we believe transparency should be the standard, not a luxury. Instead of accepting arbitrary limitations, it’s time for advertisers to demand full visibility and control.
TV Industry Updates
Pharma ad threat: HHS Secretary Kennedy proposed banning pharmaceutical TV advertising, threatening $895.8 million in sports programming revenue.
AI TV buying: Amazon launched Complete TV, an AI-powered tool designed to help TV buyers optimize spending across Prime Video and streaming publishers.
Twitch opens up: The streaming platform expanded monetization features to all creators, allowing immediate access to subscriptions and Bits for non-affiliates.
Entertainment on track: The Ankler partnered with NAB Show to launch a new Business of Entertainment programming track featuring WWE executives.
Stay up to date on the latest in TV advertising by joining our Slack community!
Creative Spotlight: Kiehl’s: “The Maverick”
Kiehl's made its national TV advertising debut during the 2025 Oscars with "The Maverick," a Western-themed commercial that cleverly showcased their Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ while celebrating Hollywood's stunt performers.
The Details:
Set in 1851 (Kiehl's founding year), the ad featured 75 stunt performers in a high-energy stagecoach sequence where the main performer applies sunscreen while hanging upside down
The campaign was created in partnership with Disney Advertising, Kimmelot and Maximum Effort, shot on location in the desert
The launch included supporting activations like Western-style flash mobs outside Sephora at The Grove and appearances by a viral Timothée Chalamet stunt double
What We Loved: The ad tapped into Western heritage and the endurance and expertise of stunt performers to give the brand a down-to-earth image. Kiehl’s is known for making bold statements, but here we saw a stellar example of broad appeal during their first major TV appearance on one of advertising's biggest stages.
Marketing Mix
Oscars ad unity: Five major advertisers united for a multi-brand tribute to Hollywood stunt performers during Sunday's Academy Awards broadcast.
Walmart's new game: The retail giant partnered with Spatial on an interactive series that lets players purchase real products through a new Unity SDK.
T-Mobile's ad acquisition: The telecom giant is reportedly in talks to acquire location-based advertising startup Blis for around $200 million.
Alexa gets smarter: Amazon launched Alexa+, a chattier AI-powered version of its voice assistant, as marketers eagerly await potential advertising opportunities.
Agency independence: IPG has sold R/GA to private equity firm Truelink Capital and agency leaders, with plans for a $50 million innovation fund.
AI anxiety: New data shows that 54% of marketers feel overwhelmed by implementing AI into their workflows.
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