If May proved anything, it’s that the pace of streaming doesn’t ease up with the weather. From live sports campaigns and returning heavy-hitters to smartly timed cultural hooks, platforms pulled every lever to capture viewer attention. One streamer, in particular, delivered a strategy so effective it left the competition scrambling to catch up. Which apps and titles made the biggest impression, and what stood out on screen? The answers are in the full May US Streamer of the Month report.
Sports were the ticket to visibility this month and one streamer proved just how powerful a focused strategy can be. Backed by aggressive placement across major connected TV devices, two sports properties surged to the front of the pack, together driving more than $11.5 million in $MPV™. The impact wasn’t subtle. In fact, when the title rankings came in, their dominance was impossible to ignore. To see where those titles landed and which streamer pulled off the win, check out the full leaderboard in the May US Streamer of the Month report.
Elsewhere, one familiar franchise roared back into view, The Last of Us. The major drama series, known for its post-apocalyptic grit, re-entered the top tier with a sharp spike of 28% in promotional value. While new content wasn’t the driver, strong platform support and smart timing helped recapture audience interest. It’s a strong case study in how legacy titles can stay competitive with the right visibility strategy. Want to know how far it climbed? The title data tells the story.
May also brought another wave of franchise marketing, this time in the form of a galaxy far, far away. Disney+ leaned into Star Wars Day with a full-throttle campaign that combined event timing with bold creative across multiple platforms. Their latest addition to the canon may not have topped the list, but it served as a reminder of how cultural milestones can still shape the promotional calendar when activated strategically.
Beyond on-screen stories, structural change shaped the month as well. STARZ officially completed its separation from Lionsgate, launching as a publicly traded entity with an eye on underserved audiences. While creative partnerships between the two continue, STARZ now faces the challenge, and opportunity, of carving its own identity in a saturated market.
We’ve only just gotten things started here, there’s a lot more to dive into. Which apps and titles delivered the most value, and which campaigns offered early clues about where the market is headed next? For full $MPV™ rankings, the news and creative moves that defined May, dig into the full US Streamer of the Month report.
