Content May Be King, But Platform is the Kingdom

The entertainment world has always understood that content is king. Since the days of silent films, the notion that quality is the primary factor of success has stood firm.  It is hard to argue against this paradigm; a content owner’s goal is to profit, revenue is dependent on viewership, and consumers only view things that interest them.  It stands to reason then that producing compelling content to maximize viewership is what matters most.  Content is key because it is the primary reason audiences tune in, but it is not the only component in generating revenue for content owners. Where viewers consume content is nearly, and sometime equally, as important in determining revenue and who takes the largest cut. However, until now distribution has been largely ignored by content owners for good reason; they had no means to do it themselves.

 

Winning at OTT takes more than just good content.

 

Owning the destination that viewers tune into, the means of distribution, was once out of reach from content owners; unobtainable as it required the infrastructure to run a global cable outfit or the tech to offer content over-the-top via a seamless UI/UX portal. This meant that although content owners were providing a key ingredient in drawing audiences and revenue, they were reliant on cable and OTT hubs like Netflix to deliver the content and facilitate monetization.  Inevitably this meant splitting the revenue, rarely in the content owners favor.   Now however, the barriers of entry have diminished to the point that it is possible for content owners, the kings, to also own the kingdom, the platform, keeping 100% of the glory and profits by distributing on owned and operated end-points. A model that puts the obligations of marketing, monetization and technology squarely on the shoulders of content owners, but also the lion’s share of the profits in their pocket.

 

“Content is the king maker, it’s not the king. The king is the platform. HBO is the king. Netflix is the king. Spotify is the king.  You can not win without owning distribution.” –Jeff Katzenberg, former Walt Disney Chairman.

 

Although Katzenberg’s metaphor is bit more on the nose than ours, the point is the same.  Owning distribution is where the power lies. Content may not be a commodity, but it is just a component in the system that maximizes the value a video can provide to an entertainment driven business.  By distribution themselves, content owners take complete control over the experience for users, the data gathered, and the ability to monetize appropriately. All without losing the majority of revenue to a middle-man.

 

This of course is exactly what Disney understood when they made the decision to jump the Netflix ship and launch their own branded OTT video streaming service. The benefits for them, as highlighted in a previous Unreel.me Blog post, are plenty:

 

“Disney is set to enjoy all of the advantages in which the other major streaming services have indulged in for years.  The primary gain is pure profit. The SVOD re-occurring monthly payment model is a lucrative one and the revenue will all go directly into Disney’s pocket. The other advantage is that Disney now owns the audience watching their content on OTT.  They will be able to recommend to them what Disney wants to be seen, show them ads and promotions for the products and experiences they want to push, and target them via email however they choose.  The other side to owning their audience is Big Data.  The immense amount of information Disney will collect about its fans is invaluable.  To have a profile of the demo and psychographics around each subscriber, and to understand how they engage with content, will guide content creation and marketing for Mickey and crew for years to come.”

 

The Costs of your own Platform.

 

Disney was able to make such a dramatic move because they found a company that had already developed a platform, and bought them.  Majority share in that company, BAMTech, cost Disney, 2.58 billion dollars. For most networks, publishers and content creators, that number is unrealistic. A much more palatable solution is to find a tech partner, like Unreel, that, similarly to BAMTech, has a fully built out OTT platform. What makes Unreel unique is our model has no upfront development costs making the relationship with the networks and publishers we work with a true partnership. We share in the their success, so it is vital that we arm them with the technology to win at OTT.  We do so with three unique patents around the data we gather, our UI/UX and our video player.  

 

You may be a media King with a wealth of quality content, but what good is that if you do not have a kingdom to rule over?

Launch your own OTT platform, take control of your content’s distribution, and be the King of a prosperous kingdom all your own with help from Unreel. 

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Niche OTT Apps: How We Got to Over 1 Million Minutes Watched per Month!

As we continue to develop apps for top networks, publishers, and creators, it has become increasingly apparent that success hinges on finding an engaged audience.  For larger brands, with a built in fan base, success has correlated directly with their ability to tell those fans about new apps via their already established platforms.  For smaller, or new brands, aside from marketing, the number one factor for revenue potential has been how well the content fits into a narrow, but popular niche’.  On a single OTT platform we have relatively unknown brands receiving millions of minutes watched per month, solely because their very specific genre of content has a large group of passionate fans.  With little to no marketing, we have seen these niche’ brands generate extremely impressive monthly revenue-per-user numbers, as high as $15; an amount that has proven to scale as marketing efforts ramp up.

 

With access to our huge library of premium syndicatable content, we have begun launching owned and operated niche’ genre apps with simple “Zone” branding, for example Cute Zone.   Very quickly we have pushed an army of branded apps out, using ROKU as a testing ground, before scaling up onto other more competitive OTT platforms, like iOS and Android. This strategy has gained us 100,000’s of app downloads with minimal marketing and allows us to point these audiences towards our and our partner’s apps with similar content to download.

 

Our niche’ app strategy can easily be replicated by any Unreel partner.   Many of the brands we work with are already doing so, using Unreel as their tech and content partner, or in the form of a Joint Venture.  Unreel offers its 5-million plus library of short and long form videos to all of our partners for seamless syndication onto their streaming services.   If you have a brand, or want to launch a new one around a niche’ we can both fortify your content strategy and get you rolled out on OTT platforms in a matter of weeks.   Contact partners@unreel.me to learn more.

 

Check out our newest Niche Apps, all live on ROKU!

 

    

 

 

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2017 Emmys: A Tipping Point for OTT

Most accept that OTT streaming services are the future and cable TV is the past.  The more contested question most recently has been, when will streaming services surpass cable? Not simply in viewership numbers, but as the world’s video zeitgeist.  It may have already happened at the 2017 Emmys.  Even Steven Colbert’s opening monologue highlighted the incredible   growth in viewership and quality of streaming service’s content, jabbing that cable shows like his are merely an afterthought at this point.   Joking aside, is 2017 the tipping point in which streaming services surpass cable in quality and popularity, how did they do it, and is there room for others to join them on their meteoric rise to screen domination?

 

For the first time in history the New Three (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon) combined to win more Emmys than the collective efforts of the OG Big Three networks (NBC, ABC, CBS) 32 to 26 to be exact.  Toss the 4th large traditional broadcast network, FOX, into the mix as well and Cable’s biggest names still fall one short of their streaming counterparts. Not to mention that  HBO, with 29 Emmys, none of which were attributed to Game Of Thrones this year, has a business model deeply reliant on their OTT streaming service, HBO GO.  Cable didn’t just get beat for the first time this year, they got clobbered.

 

Streaming services dominance at the Emmys this year means a few things.

 

1. The streaming model works at scale:

If producing good content costs an arm and a leg, Emmy award winning content costs the rest of the body.  Streaming services could not afford to put out shows worthy of Emmy consideration were they not seeing a return on investment.  The fact that spending big and going for broke on production value is seen as sound spending for the New Three, means that massive audiences are there and engaged on these services.  Going head-to-head with studios, and beating them at their own game, producing uber-premium content, means that mixes of SVOD and AVOD can support a streaming service with a billion dollar plus content budget.

 

2. Data has never been more important.

Netflix, HULU and Amazon, all still very new to the content game, out-shine nearly every other network, many of whom have been producing series since the beginning of Broadcast TV.  How is it that streaming services can so accurately predict which content will perform well with audiences and award voters?  It is their unparalleled access to data.  Whereas cable TV provides studios with only the typical Neilson psycho and demographics, streaming services are able to measure engagement and trends across 1,000’s of actions at the macro and micro level.  From cohort analysis around different audience behavior, to the preferences of users on an individual basis, streaming services know their viewers inside and out in a way cable networks never can.  Using this data takes the guess work out of producing content, meaning when a streaming service puts out a series, they already know they’ve got a hit on their hands.  The era of Hollywood producers assuming they know what Middle America wants to see is no more.

 

3. Netflix, Hulu and Amazon cannot be stopped.

There was a time when Disney pulling its content from Netflix would be devastating to the young company.  Now, it is unclear if Netflix will even take much of a hit to its bottom line at all.  The point at which studios could have blacklisted streaming services, choosing not to prop them up with their content, and instead crush them by self-distributing over OTT has well past.  

 

 

The question is no longer, can streaming services survive, it is, can networks become streaming services to survive?

 

       

What is next?

 

The OTT streaming model works, from a financial and data standpoint, that much is certain now.  Multi-platform digital distribution is winning and will continue to win.  Although the streaming world is currently dominated by three of the early movers, Netflix, HULU, and Amazon, who are not going anywhere, there is a large opportunity with room for many networks at the table.  Broadcast studios are already well situated to capitalize on an OTT strategy, with their large back catalogues of shows, and a consistent schedule of new content. Smaller networks also have a path to success with the ability to fill Niche’ content categories supported by passionate fan bases.

 

For some large networks, the solution thus far has been to develop their OTT service in-house. Many have found that instead, working with a tech partner to launch their own  branded streaming service, allows them to focus on their strength, content creation and promotion, rather than technology. Some networks, such as Disney with its unlimited resources, accomplished this by buying their developers outright.  Others see the value of an out-of-the-box OTT solution —     such as Unreel — who can have them up and running with their own branded streaming service in a matter of days with no upfront costs. Unreel’s focus on big data, with patented technology and engagement features, is icing on the OTT cake for networks that partner with them.

 

Networks, content creators, and publishers just saw the first Emmys dominated by streaming services.  The time is now for all of them to act and get in on the opportunity to take part in next year’s continued growth for brands who’ve gone all in on OTT.

 

To learn how Unreel is helping networks compete at OTT, click here!

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What the Disney Netflix Breakup means for the OTT Landscape

When Disney takes action, the rest of the entertainment world not only takes note, but takes action to react.  The big mouse is rarely a first mover or early adopter when it comes to making a company-altering decision.  Such a move requires years of study, deliberation, and strategizing. When a decision is made, it is a precise reflection of the industry’s direction.  Make no mistake, when Disney removed their content from Netflix and purchased a majority stake in BAMTech to do SVOD OTT services on their own, they also defined the future of content distribution.

 

What happened?

Two weeks ago, Disney was still deeply reliant on Netflix, as most major networks and studios are. SVOD OTT continues to be the fastest growing sector of content distribution, and without the means to do it themselves at scale, content owners rely on licensing to established services in order to get their cut of the SVOD pie.  In this case, the profit equation for Disney was simple; they provided the largest titles in entertainment to Netflix  in return for a significant paycheck.  No need to market, worry about technology, or engage with the audience. Netflix has already mastered the OTT experience, and possesses a user-base approaching critical mass; a well-oiled machine able to squeeze more profit out of a film than anyone else can do on their own, until now.

 

All of this changed when the barriers to enter the SVOD OTT market dropped to a point that mitigated the risk of ditching Netflix to tolerable levels.  Several factors have aligned that allow content owners like Disney to safely withdraw from traditional digital distribution hubs to go it on their own.  Consumers have vigorously expressed their preference to pay for SVOD services rather than a cable package, the growing ubiquity of devices to access an SVOD service conveniently, and the reduced price and effort to handle the technology necessary to run such a service from both a backend and UI/UX standpoint.

 

How it was possible

The decline of cable is a well-documented phenomenon that has coincided with the proliferation of OTT devices for viewing content.  By the end of 2017, 25% of households will officially “Cut Cable[1]” with 35% of  millennials never having it at all[2].  The younger generations are predicted to have an even more adverse outlook legacy media[3].  Conversely, devices for viewing content via OTT apps have exploded, a trend predicted to continue.  This is why OTT is on track to become a 64 billion dollar industry[4], and why letting the majority of that revenue go to three services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime), all still new to the original content game, makes no sense for networks and studios.  Rather than propping up Netflix with exclusive content, it was time for Disney to start putting its library to work for itself.

 

The final factor that is allowing networks and studios to break free from Netflix and the like is access to technology.  To truly run an SVOD OTT service requires the marriage of several complex and intricate systems, all of which must work seamlessly to provide a unified experience across an ever-expanding number of endpoints. It is not enough to just deliver the right video, streaming at the right quality, that loads at an acceptable rate.  Consumers expect an experience packed with bells and whistles to enhance engagement and the service requires certain features, like a recommendation engine, to keep fans watching.  To whip this up internally would be a multi-year and multimillion dollar undertaking, requiring constant upkeep and updating.  For most entertainment companies, it does not make sense to take the focus off of what they do best, produce content, in order to undertake this challenge.  In the current marketplace, there are many solutions to ascend the OTT technological summit.  For Disney, the answer was to buy a tech company that had mastered an OTT format for apps with a strong backend architecture.  For others it means an internal team piece-mealing different external systems and then uniting them in-house.  Many networks and studios are opting to partner with tech companies like Unreel.me, which has a fully fleshed out solution to launch OTT SVOD services quickly and backs them with a user experience that has taken years to perfect. In Unreel’s case, that also means access to patented technology focused on Big Data and UI/UX that networks and studios won’t find anywhere else.

 

What has 2.58 billion dollars and a huge shake up in the industry bought Disney?

Disney is set to enjoy all of the advantages in which the other major streaming services have indulged in for years.  The primary gain is pure profit. The SVOD re-occurring monthly payment model is a lucrative one and the revenue will all go directly into Disney’s pocket. The other advantage is that Disney now owns the audience watching their content on OTT.  They will be able to recommend to them what Disney wants to be seen, show them ads and promotions for the products and experiences they want to push, and target them via email however they choose.  The other side to owning their audience is Big Data.  The immense amount of information Disney will collect about its fans is invaluable.  To have a profile of the demo and psychographics around each subscriber, and to understand how they engage with content, will guide content creation and marketing for Mickey and crew for years to come.

 

Netflix always knew that the studios and networks they license from would eventually pull the plug and become competitors.  That is why they are slated to spend 8 billion dollars on original content this year.  Disney has now confirmed that wisdom; we have reached a point where it is foolish for content owners not to take on distributing their content themselves in order to cut their own slice of the rapidly growing OTT pie.

 

Click here to find out how Unreel partners with content owners to quickly launch OTT services powered by Big Data and to learn more about our patents.                       

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VidCon Panel: Should Brands Make Videos?

This past week, the Unreel team was at Vidcon meeting with major creators, networks and brands, exploring how we can help them with OTT distribution.  During the event we attended several round-tables and keynotes, all focusing on a unique aspect of the rapidly expanding digital video industry.  One of these discussions stuck out as the most insightful and forward thinking.  Its title; Should Brands Make their Own Content?

 

Obviously, that sort of question at Vidcon is rhetorical in nature. The panel featured the content executives for Fandango, Dollar Shave club, Portal A and Mattel, who all opened with an unequivocal yes; brands should make their own content.  Of course no one was in attendance for that anti-climactic conclusion.  The actual focus of the dialogue was to understand how brands should go about making and distributing videos. Videos that engage their target market, expand their brand, and even possibly break through as a new source of substantial revenue for their respective company.

 

Deliberating the best means for brands to create content were Eileen Rivera of Fandango, Zack Bloom of Portal A, Josh Schoellmeyer of MEL, the content arm of Dollar Shave Club, and Isaac Quiroga of Mattel.  The group warned that for brands, taking on a legitimate content strategy was difficult, failed to present any kind of short term gain, offered unmeasurable and on occasion dubious long term returns, and is absolutely necessary to compete in today’s climate.  The challenge may be immense, but the payoff is unrivaled; a community of loyal for life fans.  To engage with your customers and nurture a relationship to that point results in an ROI marketers salivate over.  In order to accomplish creating that community requires two things; engaging content and appropriate distribution methods.

 

The adage ‘Engaging content’ is carelessly thrown around at Vidcon, with most possessing little understanding of its actually meaning. Fortunately the panel was eager to share their refined definition of quality content for brands. Engagement for brands is a challenge to measure, because it goes beyond views, likes and even comments.  The engagement brands care about is winning hearts and minds, ultimately driving a sale. To reach that end goal, you have to do something that is a bit counterintuitive ­– produce content that serves your target market without selling them a thing.  Entertain them, inform them, design narratives and formats that serve your users, but never sells them.  Would the content be able to stand on its own if it was not produced by a brand? According to Josh Schoellmeyer of MEL, only after years of engaging your audience can you work in light marketing and sales information without spooking your fans away forever.  For MEL, the name of the game is volume, constantly experimenting on a daily basis with videos.  If you hit 60% of the time, you are doing an outstanding job.  

 

The next component of the content equation for brands is distribution.  The group’s consensus was to focus on one platform that fit your brand well and would reach the greatest number of your target users.  Fitting the brand means a platform’s users match your target market, has limited restrictions, and posses a reputation aligned with your company’s goals and image.  When asked which brand is killing the content space, the first name to receive nomination from every speaker was Red Bull TV.  The reason?  Red Bull TV not only does a terrific job with creating content that serves its fan base, but they also have owned and operated OTT apps.  By owning the apps their content is distributed on, they need not worry about finding an external platform that is appropriate for their brand, they have created their own.  

 

In creating their own platform, Red Bull TV has captured the Holy Grail for brand videos.  They have been full heartedly embarrassed by their target market as a lifestyle brand synonymous with extreme living.  They are reaching their fans on their own terms on their own apps, without a concern for the restrictions and reputation of other platforms.  Lastly, they are able to start monetizing, or promoting themselves within their platform however they would like, sans some outrageous rev share or restrictions.  Red Bull has created a community passionate about their brand for life.  A community that took years to nurture that will now be customers for decades.

 

Click here to learn how Unreel is helping brands take control of their own distribution with OTT apps.

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App Spotlight: WHO?MAG Multimedia

Unreel’s newest partner to launch apps across leading OTT platforms is the largest host of urban entertainment and music content in the world, WHO?MAG Multimedia.

 

WHO?MAG brings you exclusive interviews, movies, TV shows, concerts, music videos, and much more. Starting as one of the first hip-hop/R&B orientated websites in 2002, a DVD magazine in 2005, to the largest independent hip hop/R&B TV show worldwide since 2007, WHO?MAG TV has now evolved into the TV network, WHO?MAG Multimedia.  WHO?MAG has always been ahead of the curve in urban entertainment, and now with Unreel, it is continuing that trend with OTT apps.

 

WHO?MAG Multimedia features the biggest names in hip hop and R&B ranging from Pitbull, Wyclef, Big Sean, Rakim, KRS-One, Redman & Meth, DJ Premier, Mathew Knowles, George Clinton, Public Enemy, and hundreds more. Check out the gallery below to see some of the industry’s biggest names already using the app.

 

Ready to get access to exclusive hip hop interviews, music videos, concerts, and much more?  Get WHO?MAG Multimedia, now live on Android, iOS, tvOS, and Roku!

 

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Bonnier and Unreel Partner to Launch Branded OTT Apps

Unreel is proud to announce our partnership with one of the world’s leading publishers, Bonnier Corporation. By working with Unreel, Bonnier Corp. has already rapidly released a streaming service supported by multi-platform apps for one of their most popular brands, On Two Wheels, a video series focused on motorcycling.

As innovative thought leaders in the publishing industry, Bonnier Corp. has come to consider OTT a key component of their business’s blueprint for long-term success. With the majority of consumers coming to prefer video over text and transitioning their viewing habits to OTT devices, the need to embrace video via an OTT app strategy has become a necessity for publishers. For them, OTT is a can’t miss opportunity and Unreel is the ideal partner to grow both their audience and revenue streams.

“Partnering with Unreel to deploy our own branded apps saved significant time and money, allowing our team to focus on content creation.” -Sean Holtzman, Bonnier

By powering many current and upcoming Bonnier Corp. own-and-operated video streaming apps, Unreel is enabling them to engage and monetize audiences on new digital platforms. As the publishing industry continues to converge with technology, it is clear that leveraging OTT is a vital part of 21st century publisher’s success; connecting and monetizing their audience in a new way (SVOD, VOD, AVOD). Utilizing Unreel’s big data focused OTT solution ensures that Bonnier Corp., and any publisher or network who partner with Unreel, will lead the new digital video landscape.

More about On Two Wheels:

On Two Wheel is the best motorcycle video series on the internet! Watch as Zack Courts and Ari Henning take on the most exciting motorcycle adventures they can find. Whether they’re skidding across the frozen lakes of Wisconsin, riding BMWs through Thailand, or racing Honda Grom’s, they’ll show you how to have fun On Two Wheels. A monthly motorcycle video series including motorcycle video reviews and motorcycle video test.

Click here to download On Two Wheels for tvOS, Roku, iOS and Android.

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