The short
- Bundles pull price-sensitive users back in without discounting headline plans.
- Ads are the growth engine; sports spikes decide fill rates and CPMs.
- Password truce: “Add a household” upsell works better than harsh lockouts.
- Play: Track ARPU lift vs churn by bundle, not platform-wide.
- Catalyst: Holiday sports slates reveal who actually fills ad inventory.
Bundle economics in one view
| Bundle combo | ARPU lift | Churn effect | Delay risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video + Music | ▲ medium | ▼ low | Low | Simple billing; good stickiness for families |
| Video + Sports add-on | ▲ high (seasonal) | Flat to ▼ low | Seasonality | Ad-tier fill jumps during big fixtures |
| Video + Cloud Storage | ▲ low | ▼ medium | Low | Best for device ecosystems |
| Tri-bundle (Video+Music+News) | ▲ high (promo) | Flat | Medium | Marketing heavy; watch promo lapses |
Rule A “good” bundle lifts ARPU ≥10% with churn flat to lower. Anything else is a promo, not a product.
Why ad tiers win this winter
Fill & frequency
Live sports and new tentpoles push ad demand. Watch for stable frequency caps and fewer “house ads”—a clean signal that cash buyers showed up.
Creative & context
Shorter, tighter ad pods keep users engaged. Shoppable formats work when placed after key scenes, not in the middle of big reveals.
Measurement sanity
Treat CPMs as a sentiment indicator, not profit. What matters: ad-tier share of new sign-ups and day-30 retention of those users.
Password truce → paid add-ons
Instead of hard blocks, expect gentle prompts: “Add a home for ₹X/$X.” The upsell lands if the add-on feels cheaper than a full plan and preserves profiles/history.
- Clear limits (1–2 add-homes) reduce confusion.
- Pro-rate offers when users travel—less frustration, fewer cancels.
What to watch next
- Ad-tier share of net adds during holiday sports windows.
- Bundle lapses after promos end (are users sticking?).
- How many “add-home” upgrades convert to full plans within 90 days.