How Entertainment Is Changing

Long gone are the days of waiting for tea-time to tune into your favourite show. We’re in the age of streaming, where all the content you could imagine is right at your fingertips – and it’s only going to get more expansive as time goes on. 

Today, we’re looking into the insights of VOD and how it’s going to change TV and film forever. 

Reach for the Stream 

According to Digital TV Research, by the end of 2019, the number of SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) sign-ups will increase by a tremendous 119 million globally, reaching a total of 628 million. By 2024, the total amount will be 947 million. No doubt, there’s a massive audience rewatching Friends for the millionth time right now. (Don’t worry, you’re not alone).

Additionally, the research estimates that by 2024, Netflix will have 203 million subscribers, Amazon Prime, 125 million, and streaming newcomer, Disney+, 75 million. Overall, these estimates predict an 86% growth in SVOD from 2018 to 2024. The question is, what’s so hot about streaming right now? The truth is, it’s all about that sweet, sweet content. 

Each of these streaming services has something unique to offer for its target audiences. Are you looking for a love-story set in the city of New York? Netflix has you covered with its original film, Someone Great. Are espionage and conspiracy more your vibe? Then Prime’s Mr Robot is the show to watch.  

With exclusivity comes competitiveness, and therefore, a higher quality of content. We’re going to get a lot of new, exciting shows from the top dogs in the upcoming months. It’s a win-win for the consumer who wants to watch it all! 

However, if there’s one company to keep an eye on, it’s the king of all content, Disney. Though the streaming service isn’t available in the UK right now, we predict it will make huge waves when it eventually arrives on our devices.  

This year alone, Disney made $8 billion at the box office, but with the acquisition of household names such as Star Wars, Marvel, and now, 20th Century Fox, Disney+ will be a hub for top-quality content across the board. We predict Disney+ batting way higher than 75 million by 2024. If they have The Simpsons, then I’m hooked. 

To Target Like No Other   

Predicting that Disney will make money isn’t that groundbreaking. However, across the pond here in the UK, network Channel 4 is making headlines with its new ad targeting features on VoD. 

Channel 4 recently launched “Dynamic TV”, an innovative advertising system that allows for creative and unique marketing opportunities across smart TVs, mobiles, and desktop VoD platforms.  

Dynamic TV will offer partners an insight into first-party data from Channel 4’s audience (which is a whopping 18 million) and deliver unique, inbound adverts based on factors such as location, weather, and time of day. 

Suzuki’s campaign for the new Suzuki Swift is one of the first to implement Dynamic TV through Channel 4. The campaign will launch in February and geotarget audiences based on location and show them their nearest Suzuki dealership.

This isn’t the first time Channel 4 has creatively disrupted the advertising game. In 2017, its trailer campaign for Alien Covenant startled viewers when personalized audio called out their name and told them to run!  

Dynamic TV further opens the crate of creativity for marketers even more. Unlike Netflix, which only advertises its content throughout its platform, Channel 4 gets funding through external advertising; it’s the best place for brands to promote and engage with their audiences. We predict that brands will take notice of these new techniques and see Channel 4 as a top-tier streaming service to advertise on and potentially add their content to the platform. 

Back to the Future 

It’s exciting to see how revolutionary streaming has become in recent years. It feels like only yesterday Netflix was competing with Blockbuster in the DVD renting department. As the cord-cutting of traditional TV continues, the OTT avenues of streaming continue to skyrocket. 

Everyone wants to get a slice of that streaming revenue; now it’s time for you to decide which will work best for you! For marketers jumping ship from TV, virtual multichannel video programming (VMVPDs) platforms might look familiar. Streaming sites such as Youtube Live provide more traditional formats for advertising, with the added benefit of not being limited to specific locations. Plus, with the services being OTT, you can personalize your ads depending on your target audience. 

However, we’d recommend keeping an eye open on the marketing environment for these platforms, as they’re constantly changing their policies. For example, Twitch just announced they’re getting rid of ad-free viewing for users paying for a Prime subscription.

Overall, we predict to see big things from VoD in the upcoming year. From the new and unique ways in which we can advertise to the captivating entertainment that keeps the audience coming back.

Be sure to regularly check up on the Arke news page, as we’ll be covering the evolution of VoD services throughout the year. Until then, if you’d like assistance in building your brand for the OTT world or want further insights into the VoD universe, contact our team of advertising experts now.