TV is ever-evolving, which challenges marketers to constantly adapt their strategy to deliver effective results. A recent article from the Times used the case study of “Happy Valley” to bring about a debate whether programmes are more successful when they are released weekly or in box sets?
Several industry professionals commented on this. The Sky Managing Director Zai Bennet favours box sets and mentions how they are more marketing cost-effective due to the shorter period of times and a small buzz is enough to create impact. Whereas Kim Shillinglaw, former BBC2 controller commented that marketing impact is lowered as box-sets are becoming the norm now. Kim sites that “the whole weekly scheduling thing becomes more attractive again…But you do need strong shows and a lot of confidence.
tv: escape vs experience
My opinion is that in terms of viewing habits there are more individual motivations behind this when deciding what platform is better. For instance, according to Thinkbox VOD or BVOD is more likely to be watched to escape, when you are ready and can fully unwind. Whereas linear TV is more about a collective experience. Keeping in touch with current affairs or the latest soaps makes up 77% of viewing.
In terms of short and long term buzz you can look at the two programmes Wednesday on Netflix and Last of Us on Disney+, both on SVOD platforms with different release strategies, with the former released all at once and the latter on a week-by-week basis. There was a trend for binge watching Wednesday which led to a lot of conversation around the show for a brief period of time. Whereas the Last of Us has generated long terms buzz.
Mass vs niche
In terms of AV buying, you have to think of if you want to reach the mass or the niche. If you look at release options and platforms as separate entities it looks like this… For some branding campaigns VOD is more favourable, as it reaches specific audiences and is especially popular amongst 16-34 year olds making up 26% of viewing. Whereas to deliver a lot of impressions on a mass scale you might target popular programming on linear TV, for example Love Island, Great British Bake Off, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
However, when you combine these is where you find you can have the biggest impact. Modern TV viewing as mentioned before is mixture of a solitary and collective experience. Planning and buying a combination of these two platforms helps address this shift in viewing habits of linear TV viewers and light linear viewers who may watch BVOD more and increase overall reach.
The industry is starting to recognise the importance of catering to different viewing habits, for instance ITVX has the option to follow by week by week or ‘binge’ the whole box set. In a landscape that is ever evolving it is adaption that will keep the campaigns alive.
