Crunchyroll Exec Shares Surprising Secret About Its Ads

The president of Crunchyroll admits ads aren't making much money for Crunchyroll just yet.

By Megan Peters

These days, anime is far from niche. The medium has attracted millions of fans to date, and thanks to technology, anime is just getting bigger. From big movies to hit series, new anime is never far away, and plenty of them find their home at Crunchyroll. The streaming service is the go-to home of anime, and in a recent interview, Crunchyroll's president shared some surprising info about the site's ads.

And what is it? Well, it seems like ads are not as profitable as you might have thought. When speaking to The Verge, president Rahul Purini was asked how Crunchyroll's ad-supported streaming tier was faring, and it went like this:

  • The Verge: "With the ads, are you making money there? Is that profitable?"
  • Purini: "It's early days. We launched-"
  • The Verge: "That's a no, that feels like a no. I just want to be clear."
  • Purini: "Yes, it's still early, still nascent. Ways to go for us."

When asked further about Crunchyroll's ad usage, Purini did reveal a bit more about the strategy behind them. The president admits Crunchyroll uses ads to support a streaming tier that's easily accessible in hopes of converting users to subscriptions.

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"Like I said, it is for us primarily a top-of-the-funnel play where we want to engage new audiences, give them the ability to connect, and watch something before they get into subscription," the president explained. "I think what we are focused on is building that customer relationship and bringing them along into that funnel so that they can sign up for a subscription service when they're ready"

Following its merge with Funimation, Crunchyroll is bigger today than ever before. With original shows on hand and a number of simulcasts going live, the streaming service has become a pillar for anime lovers. And while other services like Netflix and Disney+ are buying into anime, no other company is investing in the landscape like Crunchyroll is. 

What do you think about this Crunchyroll update? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

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