#binge watching some disney movies and other media company shows

[tseghoulfan]

This isnt really related to anything in particular, but I've been thinking about it a bit and y'know. It's kinda weird that so many shows have a characters plot end in leaving or dying. Like theres other options, and they don't have to involve being married with kids.

Let people? Have their show ending just be them on their own? Maybe some characters would enjoy that, if they're introverts? It doesn't always have to be some massive grand ending.

Endings can be calm, and boring, and just relaxing and nice, without having to be like, you know, one of at least three options that people creating TV shows seem to go to.

Idk, I've been thinking about this awhile. I know this isn't a Showfall specific post but I'm putting it on this sideblog anyways because it fits kinda, even if it is more of a general post.

[purplesurveys]

1279

Are you and the last person you kissed in a relationship or just friends?  I don’t keep contact.

Has anyone ever pointed out that your laugh was unusual?  Hmmmm, I don’t think so. I feel like that would be the type of comment that would get to me so I definitely would’ve remembered it.

Would you get a lip piercing?  I don’t plan on getting any piercings.

Nose piercing?  Nopes.

What are you currently waiting for?  For this fucking day to end so I can be closer to Thursday and to the weekend.

Do you have feelings for anyone?  Nah.

Have you ever run over an animal?  Nope. I’ve had extremely close calls with animals who suddenly dart into the road, but fortunately these have all been situations wherein I got to hit the brakes with nobody behind me.

Have you chewed gum after someone else already has?  That’s disgusting, no.

When people sneeze do you say ‘bless you’?  Sure, out of habit and just to be polite.

When was the last time you were on a bouncy castle?  I don’t think I’ve ever been on a bouncy castle, but I’ve been on a lot of bouncy other things haha, like inflatable slides, soccer balls, Anpanmans, etc. The last time would probably be a nearly a decade ago; I definitely haven’t been near one in a while.

Have you ever went on a bouncy castle whilst drunk?  Well no, because the ones I’ve been on were situated in school fairs, which is the last place I would want to be drunk in.

Have you ever entered an art competition?  No, I have no justification to join one haha.

What is one thing you will never do? Try hardcore drugs. < Same. 

What is one food that you detest?  Pineapples.

Did you have a rebellious phase growing up?  Yeah I was a bit of a handful to raise, but I’m in firm in my stance that it had a lot to do with the way I was raised. I grew up mostly without a father figure because my dad worked abroad and I felt neglected by my mom who had her own shit to deal with. There was no stable support system to lean on, so I ended up lashing out a lot in my puberty years. Unfortunately everyone else just saw a rebellious child and not a plea for help.

These days when I show off my achievements on social media, I’ll see congratulatory comments from my mom’s friends and she’ll usually go on about some “late bloomers grow with time” narrative and it pisses me off because nobody knows how much I’ve had to grow and mature and learn how to be happier all by myself, all from scratch. If I had just received the proper care and attention early on, I wouldn’t have had to do any catching up to begin with.

What religion were you brought up with? Roman Catholic.

Are you still that religion?  Jesus no. I darted out of there as soon as I gained the consciousness to think about these sorts of things.

Do you often find yourself questioning your future?  Sometimes, but I do my best to not let it get to me.

How many friends do you have on Facebook?  Over 670.

What sort of music did you listen to when you were in high school?  I started with punk rock in the first half of high school, so I had my Rancids, H2Os, Against Me!s, Cro-Mags, etc on my iPod. It evolved a little bit towards more indie, folksy sounds towards the latter half - Banks, alt-J, Hozier, Twenty One Pilots - which I largely attribute to the crowd I was part of at the time.

What pet names do you use with your significant other?  I’m pretty straightforward so baby works out for me. Other, more specific pet names just grow naturally with the relationship, I think.

What’s the name of the store you usually get your groceries?  S&R.

Have you ever seen a theatre show?  Yeah. Most of them have been required.

What’s your favourite vegetable?  Broccoli or bell peppers.

Have you ever missed a flight?  Never. I’ve experienced several delayed flights, though, which is always such a hassle especially if the delays happen in provincial airports since they never have any recreational offers to keep passengers from getting bored other than TVs that run the same damn five ads.

Do your neighbours have any pets? Have you ever met them?  Yeah, a lot of have dogs. I’ve met some.

What color is your bedroom door?  Brown.

If you were ever to become famous, would you grow annoyed at fans?  Only towards obsessive ones who wouldn’t give me time to breathe or would go so far so as to stalk me or my loved ones. But I am a fan too, so I imagine I would actually be understanding of those who would ask for pictures or whatever as long as they were polite and not at all intrusive.

Have you ever met your favourite band/singer?  Nah. I am terrified of meeting celebrities HAHA so I’ve always shut down the chance. I’m pretty sure I would actually turn down the chance to meet BTS if I hypothetically suddenly got the magic keys to that door.

Are you embarrassed by any of the songs/singers/bands you like?  No. I feel like that sort of thing just happens in like high school, when your friends are still a bit judgmental. Nowadays I don’t see why I should be embarrassed of anything I like, especially if it’s not hurting anyone.

Have you ever written a story?  I’ve made attempts but was always terrible.

Think of the last poem you wrote: What inspired you to write it?  My homework that required me to write said poem hahaha.

Do you have a chance with the person you like right now? 

What’s the weirdest thing you were scared of as a child?  Watching commercials at night. It’s still a slight fear of mine but it’s mostly dissipated now.

Are there any embarrassing stories your family tells about you?  About me? No. I don’t have a lot of those since I was a really shy kid who barely moved a finger anyway.

In your opinion, what is the funniest TV show?  I have a *really* soft spot for Perfect Strangers, which I actually revisited yesterday :) The show was never super popular so it’s near impossible to find clips online, but when I checked YouTube I did see a slight increase in short snippets from the show so I had a really fun time binge-watching yesterday.

What is the maximum number of children you’d ever have?  Three, but that’s pushing it. Ideally, I’d have two so my first would have company.

Have you ever been concerned you had a serious illness?  Mental ones, yes.

Are you comfortable with who you are?  For the most part, yes.

Would you date someone even if you knew you’d get made fun of for it?  No. Why would it be any of their business?

Does popularity matter to you at all?  I mean, yeah in the sense that I honestly aspire to be well-liked by as many people as possible. But I don’t necessarily want to rub shoulders with popular kids.

Would you ever consider homeschooling your children?  Continued from sometime this week ider. No. I don’t think I’m capable of teaching, and generally I’d want them to be able to learn in a more open environment where they can have regular contact with different kinds of people.

Who told you about the band/singer you are currently listening to?  Well Angela got into them first and since we’re best friends, there was a certain point where she just decided to loop me into conversations that involved them. I was impossible to sway for a long time, but then one day a video compilation of them showed up on my feed, and for some reason I actually watched it, and I watched all the way through, and I was immediately intrigued – particularly by J-Hope haha. I then asked Angela to tell me more about them and the rest was...financially irresponsible history HAHAHAHA

Do you ever read fanfiction?  OMG yes. Funny you should mention that because my favorite author uploaded a brand new fic this morning, which I obviously couldn’t get to all day because I had to go to work. I’ll be reading it in all its 44,000-word glory tonight :D

Would you rather die in a plane crash, ship wreck or fire?  Plane crash. Instant and mostly painless.

What are your top five favourite TV shows?  Breaking Bad, BoJack Horseman, Friends, The Crown even though I was never able to continue it since...andddd that’s all I got.

What is your favorite superhero movie?  Not a fan of superhero movies.

If you died next week, what would be the cause of death?  Stress from overworking. I’ve FINALLY started to consider taking a leave for the first time this year because I’ve just realized just how fucking exhausted, burned out, and overwhelmed I actually already am from having no rest at all in the last 13 months.

Have you ever taken a break from Facebook or other social media? Why?  Yes, I do mass deactivations when I’m severely depressed. These days I can’t really afford to that anymore, though, since my work is closely tied to social media.

Who is the most talented person you know?  Probably Andi.

Are you currently platonic friends with anyone you’ve had sex with?  No.

Where did you and your current interest go on your first date? 

Have you ever experienced two people fighting over you (physically or mentally)? What happened?  Nah. I’ve had two people like me at the same time, but there was never any tension to watch out for since they mostly didn’t know each other.

Have your parents ever thought you were gay? What happened?  I think they know I dated Gabie and that we broke up because they’ve stopped asking about her. Everyone knew we were best friends, so the fact that they’ve avoided her as a topic for a whole year is able to tell me something.

Are your parents more liberal or conservative?  Dad’s on the liberal side, mom dances around on the spectrum a little bit. I know she’s fine with things like tattoos and having LGBTQ+ co-workers, but she’s also conservative especially towards matters like religion.

What year are you going into at the beginning of the next academic year?  No longer in school.

How far away does your closest family member live?  A few footsteps away.

If you’ve seen both, did you prefer the Disney version or the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland?  It’s not my type of movie/genre to begin with.

Would you have sex before marriage? Why or why not?  Yes. I don’t see the big deal; I’ve already done it anyway.

Are you more liberal or conservative?  Liberal.

Who is your favorite Harry Potter character?  Ooh not sure. I haven’t gone back to the books in a while, so I don’t remember if there was anyone I had an attachment to.

What’s the worst that could come out of letting gays marry?  Nothing.

What’s the most sexual thing you’ve done?  Had sex...I guess? And a bunch of stuff that comes with it.

Name something that you are against.  Racial discrimination.

Why are you against it?  Because it is infuriating to see, and it shows me the very same treatment can happen to me or my family as well and that scares me, especially since some people turn particularly violent towards people of color.

Have you ever played the Tomb Raider games?  No.

Do you like it or hate it when your partner is clingy?  I imagine I wouldn’t enjoy it if I’m not as into whoever my next partner would be.

Beatles or Rolling Stones?  I don’t listen to either.

When was the last time you changed your opinion on somebody?  Not so sure about a whole change in opinion because that hasn’t happened in a while, but I grew more grateful for my manager today because I finally mustered the strength to tell her that I’m begin to struggle mentally with work and she not only encouraged (read: begged) me to file a damn leave for once, but she also got sushi delivered to my place.

What was the last thing that made you feel proud and why?  Andi was telling me about their day today and how they handled being misgendered by a prof, who then proceeded to throw a fit when he got corrected, and how they, again, maturely handled said fit. I was proud of them because there are a million ways that incident could’ve turned out, but they dealt with it in an extremely mature and calm manner considering they were the one who was wronged.

Do you feel uncomfortable when people you hardly know confide in you?  If it was about an extremely personal problem I would probably be taken aback at first, but I still would definitely make some time for them and help in however way I can, since they apparently trust me enough to confide.

What was the last thing to fascinate you?  The music video for My Universe! Super cool to watch and I love that they made a short film out of it too.

Is there a certain noise/sound which scares you?  Doors being slammed shut, because that’s what my mom does when she’s furious. She did that when I was a kid and she does it to this day, so I get extremely nervous when I hear the sound, even if it happens by accident.

Do you have a favourite microorganism? Nope.

Out of the people you know, whose birthday is next?  My cousin Bree.

If you have pet fish do you bother to name them?  I did when I had them as a kid.

Do you keep your eggs in the fridge?  Yes?

Have you ever owned chickens?  Nope.

When did you last listen to music?  Like five minutes ago. I tried to have a jazz playlist on but I realized I wasn’t in the mood for music so I changed my background noise to have a random VLive on instead. 

[ravenklaw2]

Another clarification post: 

Hulu is Disney’s as in they have full control of it  and fully owned it. As of last year, they’ve been paying comcast for that last 20+% share. 

“Disney has already made clear that Hulu will be a critical part of its streaming strategy. When the company debuted its Disney+ service to investors last month, it also spoke at length about the future of Hulu, which has more adult programming, like The Handmaid's Tale.”

Source:  https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/14/media/disney-buys-comcast-hulu-ownership/index.html

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2019/05/14/disney-bought-hulu-whats-mean-cord-cutters-binge-watchers/3665629002/

“Hulu CEO steps down as Disney moves almost everything in house.”

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/31/21117502/hulu-ceo-randy-freer-disney-plus-kevin-mayer-dtc-espn-marvel-studios

In other words, the Hulu CEO who greenlights shows on Hulu is a Disney employee and represents Disney.

As I predicted last week, if announcement was to be made  for Season 2 of LV, then it’d be during Disney quarterly report. When it did not happen, I thought it would be  during the investors’ day event. However, it turned out I was partially right as the announcement came in that same week. 

I still believe that LV will also be shown on their new international streaming service Star (to be launched in 2021), for the platform will only feature originally produced content by Disney’s other studios like 20th Century Studios (LV is produced by this studio), Searchlight, ABC, FX, and Freeform (hey, shadowhunter fans, do you think there’s a chance for a renewal?). As you’ve all noticed, the platform is ready to be launched in 2021 ( as the streaming service Star is already owned by Disney), yet these studios have announced no new content  other than what it is in their respective libraries. Disney Investor Day is the likely place the announcement of the news shows will be made. 

Source: https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2020/08/06/new-disney-streaming-service-to-take-star-brand/#:~:text=Disney%20is%20to%20launch%20a,of%20properties%20from%20News%20Corp.

Now!!! Here’s what happened to Love Victor.  Disney+ greenlit Love Simon. Then later became Love Victor. I think at this point they simply called Simon verse because they seemed to be conflicted on which show to make. But Disney told them, ‘the go ahead’ make it. 

'Love, Simon' TV Series a Go at Disney+

Source:  https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/love-simon-tv-series-a-go-at-disney-1200668

For those of you who don’t know what Love Simon is, it is an lgbt coming out gay romance movie. 

“Disney+, the forthcoming direct-to-consumer streaming platform, has handed out a straight-to-series order for a series based on author Becky Albertalli's Leah on the Offbeat, her sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, on which Love, Simon was based. The project hails from now Disney-owned 20th Century Fox Television, whose since shuttered sibling film studio Fox 2000 produced and distributed the 2018 movie.”

Source:  https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/love-simon-tv-series-a-go-at-disney-1200668

In other words, Disney knows they were greenlighting a gay show. They know it is going to be gay. 

Then they changed their mind after they watched the show on February of 2020. They decided to move it to Hulu. They, Disney, decided to move it to Hulu because again as I’ve already established Hulu is their more adult-oriented streaming platform. 

“Ricky Strauss, Disney+’s president of content and marketing, added: “With Hulu now an integral part of our streaming family, our teams are closely collaborating and we have the unique ability to choose the best home for our original productions. All of us at Disney+ are incredibly proud of ‘Love, Victor’ and know the series will be a perfect addition to Hulu’s strong slate of young adult programming.”

See the emphasis on ‘our production,’ they owned Love Victor. 

Source:  https://www.thewrap.com/love-simon-tv-series-moves-from-disney-plus-to-hulu-love-victor/

Along with their decision to move the show, they also assembled a writer’s room for Season 2 to know what is in there ahead of time.

Question? Why do they want to know what’s going to be in Season 2 when there’s no longer a need for censorship? 

The answer is this: 

The duo (Aptaker and Berger) also told TV's Top 5 that now that they know the series will live on Hulu, it frees the writers up to be "edgier" with its humor in season two. "We lost some jokes that hurt," Berger said. Added Aptaker: "When we pitched out the second season to Hulu, their first question was, 'When are the kids going to start having sex?”

Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/love-victor-renewed-season-2-at-hulu-1306357

Homophobic or not, Disney has gone through extra lengths of  finding ways to get a gay sex in LV without pissing off their homophobic subscribers.  See they even included it in their ad. 

And if it is not clear yet, here’s the gist: When Hulu renewed Love Victor Season 2, it also means Disney renewed it. Because Hulu is Disney’s. They’re one big family. 

[bloodlinesbabe93]

Scared Chapter 3

@thebutterflygirl16

"hey Olivia"  I  woke up to someone gently shaking my shoulder. my eyes slowly opened to see I was still resting my head on Adam's shoulder.  "we're stopping for lunch if you want to eat" he says. 

"feeling better?" Roddy asks

"a little, how long was I asleep?"

"about 4 hours" Kyle says

"We just wanted to wake you up so you could eat with us, if you want to." Adam says. 

"what are you guys getting?" I ask

"we had talked about Cracker Barrel, but if you want something else we could eat that instead" Kyle says

"I've never had Cracker Barrel"

"What? dude its the best" Adam says

"I've never really eaten out much, so I haven't tried a lot of places" 

"more of the home cooked meal kind of person?" Kyle asks. I nod

"you'll love Cracker Barrel then" Adam says

"I'm not really hungry though"

"why don't you eat with us?" Roddy asks

"you have to be hungry, you didn't eat at all yesterday, or this morning" Kyle says

"I had breakfast before you guys woke up"

"she wasn't in the hotel room when i woke up, so I think she's telling the truth" Adam says

"but why won't you eat any other time?" Roddy asks again

I look down at my feet, not wanting to answer him. I was afraid to tell them the truth. I mean if you were bullied for eating would you want to eat around people? probably not. I knew they wouldn't understand, so I kept quiet. 

"leave her alone man, she doesn't want to talk about it." Adam says

"sorry, I just wanted to help" Roddy says

"Its okay, I just don't like talking about things that nobody understands."

"just because we don't understand doesn't mean we don't want to help, or that we'll judge you" Adam says gently placing his hand on my knee.

"we do really care about you, and want to help you with whatever you're battling" Bobby says

damn they were good. I could tell that they really did care, but me being stubborn, I couldn't talk to them. I was not going to get hurt again. 

"you sure you don't want to eat?" Adam asks as I watched the others start walking into the restaurant. I nodded, but seconds later my stomach growled. "sounds like you're hungry" he says teasingly. I sighed, knowing I couldn't eat.  I was too afraid

"you need to eat" he says. I shook my head. he hugs me tightly, attempting to reassure me. and for the first time, I didn't flinch, I wasn't afraid. I felt safe

"I just don't like eating around people" 

"why?" he asks

"I used to get bullied for eating, I was always the chubby kid who ate too much, so people would make fun of me, that's why I don't eat with others"

his face drops. I knew I shouldn't have told him. "I promise none of us will ever make fun of you for eating, no matter how much you eat. i'm sorry you've been bullied in the past, but please don't shut me, or the others out, we really do care about you. I know it'll take time for you to see that, but I promise its true" he says. 

"please don't tell the others anything."

"I won't, I promise. now let's go. you need to eat" he says

I reluctantly got out of the car with him. and walked into the restaurant. Adam and I approached the others as they looked around. "dude how did you get her to come in with you?" Kyle asks

"we just talked for a few minutes" Adam says. I smiled, thankful he kept his promise.

"well we're glad you're joining us" Roddy says

i was glad when Adam sat next to me at the table, especially since i was beginning to trust him. i think that scared me more than anything. 

"what are you going to get?" he asks

"i'm not sure, maybe just a burger or something"

"the burgers are really good" Roddy says

"i guess i'll just get a burger then"

Adam smiles. i could see that he was happy i had opened up a bit.  even though i still kind of regret telling him. 

Once the food arrived, i was beginning to question if i could do it or not.  but when i felt Adam put his hand on my knee, i instantly felt better. i slowly ate, constantly making sure that they weren't staring at me, and just like Adam had promised, nobody said anything or looked at me judgingly.

"i told you" Adam whispers so only i could hear him. i smiled weakly. i was still nervous around them, but i was slowly starting to feel comfortable around Adam and the others.  i was just happy when we got back in the car.

"you want to go back to sleep?" Adam asks as he slides into the seat next to me.  

"no i'll be okay, i need to sleep tonight" 

"you wanna room with me again?" he asks. 

"i guess" 

"you don't have to, you can room with one of the others if you want." he says. i quickly shook my head. i felt safer with Adam than i did anyone else.

"if there's only one bed, you can take it. i'll sleep on the couch or floor" he says. i shook my head, i wasn't about to let him do that. he had a match tomorrow and needed the rest, i didn't. 

"no it's okay, i'll take the couch, i don't mind, plus you have a match tomorrow, i don't" i say. he smiles. he knew i wasn't going to give up so he stopped talking about it. we still had a long way to go anyway. atleast another 4 hours.

the time seemed to pass fairly quickly, it helped that i spent most of the time on my phone scrolling through my social media. i mostly followed wrestlers, since i only had one real friend, but we hadn't talked in months. since she had gotten married and moved away.  now i guess the closest thing i have to friends is Adam, Kyle, Bobby and Roddy.

i was glad when we finally arrived at the hotel so i could relax, and escape reality. the guys were talking about dinner, but i just wanted a night in the room.

 i was also happy when we walked into the hotel room and there were two beds in the hotel room, maybe i could actually sleep tonight.

"which bed do you want?" Adam asks

"i guess i'll take this one" i say sitting on the bed closest to the door. he smiles and walks to the other one, which was closer to the windows. 

"we're gonna meet down in the lobby to go to dinner in about an hour if you want to join us" he says.

"i think i'm just going to stay in tonight, and order pizza." 

"want some company? i brought my Xbox so we can play video games if you want" he says

"you can hang with the guys if you want, i don't mind being alone."

"ehh, they'll live, and pizza sounds really good anyway"

i smiled, and agreed to enjoy the evening with him. he had texted the guys letting them know we were going to stay in, and order pizza. 

"what kind of pizza do you want" he asks

"i like pepperoni and bacon, but you can get whatever you want, and i'll deal with it"

"pepperoni, bacon is fine with me." he says

  "thank you, for staying in with me, i don't think i could have handled going out"

"no need to thank me, i'm glad i could hang out with you" he says handing me a controller.

"i'm not used to Xbox controls, so you'll have to show me"

he smiles, and shows me the controls, but i knew i'd still end up losing. he decided to play Fortnite. which is one of the games i'm best at

"you're pretty good" he says, watching me take my turn

"ehh, not really, i'm still not used to the controls" 

"still doing well for not being used to Xbox though" he says

"i'm just good at this game, its all i play at home"

"what else do you do when you're home?" he asks

"i do some writing, but that's pretty much it, my only friend moved to North Carolina when she got married, so i'm not able to see her"

"don't you have a boyfriend?" he asks. i shook my head, not wanting to touch on the past

"how is someone as beautiful as you not in a relationship?" he asks. i remained silent. i could feel the tears starting fall. if only he knew. 

his face fell when he looked at me and saw the tears. "what's wrong Olivia?" he asks. i shook my head signaling i didn't want to talk about it. i felt his arms wrap tightly around me, giving me one of the best hugs I've ever received.

"you don't have to talk about it, sorry i brought it up" he says

"no its okay, i just don't have the best past with guys"

"anybody who has ever done anything to hurt you in the past is an idiot" he says which makes me smile. 

"i guess all my life I've been treated so badly, i just got used to it, so i got used to pushing people away and still do. I've been hurt too many times, so I've built these defenses to make sure it doesn't happen again"

"that explains why you were so quiet yesterday, and still don't talk much. just know that you're completely safe with me, and the others. we would never do anything to hurt you" he says. i looked into his eyes and i could see just how genuine his words were. damn those eyes of his.

"I've spent 20 years building up defenses, and you've managed to knock a lot of them down in a day. i feel safe around you, and i'm beginning to feel safe around them too, its just going to take time for me to feel comfortable to open up about everything" 

he smiles, and places his hand on my knee. "take all the time you need, i'm here when you want to talk"

i was happy when dinner finally arrived, i took a slice of pizza and a breadstick, letting Adam get all he wanted. 

"wanna watch Netflix?" he asks

"sure, what did you want to watch?"

"up to you, we could binge watch a tv show, or watch movies"

"i don't care, i'm don't know what's all on Netflix"

"wanna watch a Disney movie?" he asks

"really? you want to watch a Disney movie?"

"we could watch Moana, i haven't seen it yet" he says

"me either, we can watch it if you want to"

he turns on the movie, and i lean back in bed, enjoying every second of it. i looked over to see him completely engrossed by the movie. i couldn't be falling for Adam Cole could I?

[aion-rsa]

Quibi Quibites the Dust: Why the Streamer Failed

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Let’s start off with an important disclaimer. The end of any major company means the loss of jobs and livelihoods for many hardworking people. Hundreds of Quibi employees will likely soon find themselves out of a job amid a global pandemic and a grim economic environment in the United States. We wish them the best of luck in quickly finding gainful employment at other stable entertainment entities. 

Having said that, Quibi is dead…Quibi is finally, blissfully dead. Undoubtedly the first big dud of the streaming era came to an ignominious end today when the Wall Street Journal reported that Quibi Holdings LLC will elect to shut itself down in the face of non-existent viewership, mounting debts, and a patent lawsuit or two. 

Quibi had previously been searching for a buyer to take on all its assets (and its debt) but had already been turned down by Apple, WarnerMedia, and Facebook – mostly because Quibi didn’t even own much of the content on its own servers. The company is expected to hold a conference call with investors today to discuss the decision to shut down. 

The doomed streaming service was the dream of former Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg who wagered that as long as he spent enough money on something, audiences could be convinced to care about it. This turned out to be not quite the case, but not for lack of trying and not for lack of money. 

Founded as “NewTV” in August 2018, the concept of Quibi was a novel one. The streaming service would develop content to be consumed as “quick bites” (hence the name Quibi) that audiences would consume in 10 minute increments. That concept made just enough sense to spur a truly stupefying amount of deep-pocketed investors to step in to offer up their money. Before producing even one second of content, Quibi had raised $1.75 billion in pre-launch funding from film studios, telecom companies, banks, and more. That money helped Quibi launch with a truly impressive war chest. The streamer had more than 175 shows and movies lined up for its first year featuring an array of talent such as Chrissy Teigen, Sam Raimi, Sophie Turner, and more. 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

All was looking good in Quibi-land…and then Quibi actually launched on April 6, 2020. Within one week of the service’s arrival, it was quickly clear that this would be a once-in-a-generation case of corporate failure schadenfreude. Despite offering a 90-day free trial, Quibi found itself well outside of the Top 50 apps on the Apple app store one week after its release. The service could claim only just over 1 million active users, well below its initial expectations. Meanwhile, social media was alight with cringeworthy clips from Quibi’s shows.

Losing my fucking MIND at this Quibi show where actual Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan plays a woman obsessed with her golden arm pic.twitter.com/rSfqCv75SG

— Zach Raffio (@zachraffio) April 15, 2020

The problems with Quibi were manyfold and will likely be the subject of media studies for years to come. So let’s just jump the gun on media historians and get into them right now. 

For starters, Katzenberg, Quibi CEO Meg Whitman, and Quibi’s investors misunderstood how people engage with content in some breathtakingly arrogant and astonishing ways. While it’s likely true that audiences’ average attention spans have tightened in recent years, Quibi just decided to overlook the existence of hundreds of TV shows and movies that continue to absolutely kill it for other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max. NBC Universal paid $500 million (or nearly one-third of the entirety of Quibi’s original investments) to secure the rights to The Office alone. And that’s because all evidence, both tangible and anecdotal, suggests time and time again that people are more than happy to binge 22-60 minute episodes. 

Not only that, but Quibi was clearly targeted towards younger audiences…while fundamentally not understanding younger audiences. Per ad tracking firm iSpot, Quibi spent a staggering $63.7 million on television advertising to reach the coveted youth demographic, not realizing that that demographic likely wasn’t watching much traditional television advertisements in the first place. Not only that, but those young audiences already had their fair share of “quick bites” available to them, and for free. Mediums like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok had mastered the art of short form content and had granted them to eager young audiences for only the cost of their digital soul (demographic information). Any capitalist worth their salt should be very aware that “Free + Sacrificing of Digital Privacy” will beat out “$4.99 a month + Also Probably Sacrificing of Digital Privacy” every time. 

Then there’s the fact that Quibi was available only via mobile devices and not on streaming providers like Roku and Amazon Fire. In fact, it’s only this week that Quibi finally found its way to living room viewing devices  This is because Quibi could only imagine a world in which people were dying to watch content on their phones and their phones alone. This meant that Quibi watchers couldn’t screenshot, gif, or meme any of the content on Quibi, which in turn created little meaningful social media buzz. Notice how that viral “Golden Arm” bit is recorded on a phone recording another phone.

But Quibi’s biggest downfall (and what makes said downfall so cathartic for so many) was its hubris. A Vulture story about the streaming service released just three months after its launch now reads more like Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ozymandias” than a piece of media analysis. It is filled with foreboding dispatches from a company unaware it was already dead. Katzenberg and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman come off as barely caring about television, with Whitman in particular saying “I’m not sure I’d classify myself as an entertainment enthusiast” and offering up only a History Channel special about President Ulysses S. Grant as an example of a TV show she likes. 

That article also features the following truly awe-inspiring passage of corporate ineptitude and carelessness:

“When Gal Gadot came to the offices and delivered an impassioned speech about wanting to elevate the voices of girls and women, Katzenberg wondered aloud whether she might become the new Jane Fonda and do a workout series for Quibi. (‘Apparently, her face fell,’ says a person briefed on the meeting.)”

Not only did the folks at Quibi misunderstand the entertainment landscape, they misunderstood how their app was supposed to work in the first place. Quibi launched during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, which would be a tough beginning for any company. But Quibi was in the streaming business, and should have hypothetically flourished alongside its many other streaming rivals with potential viewers across the world holed up in their houses with nothing but time and boredom to spare. In an interview with The New York Times, however, Katzenberg said “I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus. Everything.” In the minds of Katzenberg and Quibi’s investors, watching Quibi was a kinetic activity – something that someone would do while waiting in line for coffee or riding the subway. 

It’s as though the decision-makers at Quibi bought into their own Silicon Valley Apple commercial bullshit in which a country full of beautiful people commuted to their high-paying jobs via readily available public transportation and just wanted to watch quick bites of other beautiful people entertaining them in 10-minute bursts during the brief downtimes in their exciting lives. Whereas other traditional streaming services continue to grow by presenting hours upon hours of bingeable ‘memberberries for a couch potato to have on in the background while they scroll through Instagram.

Based on Katzenberg’s New York Times post-mortem while the company was ostensibly pre-mortem, it seems as though no lessons will be learned here as well. Quibi is unquestionably the first biggest massive failure of the streaming era and it’s also unquestionably won’t be the last. That’s good news for casual onlookers craving the rightful humiliation of very rich executives and bad news for anyone hoping for the continued health of the entertainment industry post-COVID. 

The post Quibi Quibites the Dust: Why the Streamer Failed appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[bigyack-com]

Netflix Shuns Commercials, but It’s Cozying Up to Brands

Netflix subscribers like being able to glide through entire seasons of “Stranger Things” and “The Crown” without sitting through commercials for insurance and S.U.V.s with bows on the hood. Subscriptions, rather than advertising, drive its nearly $16 billion in annual revenue, and being commercial-free “remains a deep part of our brand proposition,” Netflix said in a statement.While it is the dominant streaming platform, with 158 million global subscribers, Netflix also has a $12 billion pile of debt. And it is facing competition from deep-pocketed streaming newcomers like the Walt Disney Company and Apple. The research firm eMarketer said this month that Netflix’s “days at the top may be numbered,” and many analysts and executives wonder if, in order to keep its revenue strong, it will have to embrace ads.“I don’t know why they wouldn’t,” said Peter Naylor, the head of advertising sales for the streaming platform Hulu.Even as Netflix resists commercials, it is finding ways to work with brands. Last month, Netflix worked with the sandwich chain Subway to start offering a Green Eggs and Ham Sub (spinach-dyed eggs, sliced ham, guacamole, cheese) tied to the new Netflix series “Green Eggs and Ham,” based on the Dr. Seuss book. The sandwich generated a lot of publicity for Netflix in the lifestyle press while also putting the Netflix name in front of the millions of people who buy a Subway sandwich each day.“We believe we will have a more valuable business in the long term,” Netflix said, “by staying out of competing for ad revenue and instead entirely focusing on competing for viewer satisfaction.”In another recent cross-promotion, Netflix charged the clothing company Diesel a license fee to make outfits inspired by “La Casa de Papel,” one of Netflix’s most popular shows. Online ads from Diesel hammered home the connection by showing the Netflix name, mentioning “La Casa de Papel” and featuring characters in the distinctive red jumpsuits worn by the show’s protagonists.Netflix is “actively beefing up its marketing team,” according to the research firm Forrester. “They’re being more flexible in the types of partnerships they can offer,” said Ellie Bamford, an executive at the marketing agency R/GA.When Netflix worked with Samsung and Aviation American Gin on a commercial last month featuring the actor Ryan Reynolds and his new Netflix film “6 Underground,” no money changed hands. For Netflix, such deals are mostly about keeping people aware of the Netflix brand.Netflix declined to say whether deals with companies would become a larger revenue stream in the future.But companies have long been eager to go into business with Netflix, even before it scored 34 Golden Globe nominations this month. The platform has something brands crave: a young audience. Its average viewer is 31, part of a group highly sought by companies as younger people avoid broadcast and cable television and are known to hate ads.“Brands want to be in front of this audience,” Ms. Bamford said. “Reaching these unreachables, these cord-cutters who don’t want to be fed an ad, is a huge concern.”Major companies flirt with Netflix on social media, and Netflix is flirting back. This month, the company’s Twitter account, with seven million followers, participated in a saucy meme about things people say during sex, trading quips about it with the Wendy’s Twitter account (3.4 million followers) and Penguin Random House (1.3 million followers). Last spring, Netflix posted a tweet that included a photo of nine cast members from one of its original shows, “Sense8,” as they appeared to be celebrating in an Audi convertible, and then had a joking exchange about it with the Audi account (two million followers).In contrast to its cheery social-media tone, Netflix is “not necessarily the easiest to work with” on promotional partnerships with companies, said Stacy Jones, the chief executive of the entertainment marketing company Hollywood Branded. She described Netflix as “very picky,” saying it “wants to be the lead.”“They’re in a power position right now,” Ms. Jones said. “They know the market, and they’re controlling it and keeping it very tight.”Netflix is careful to guard its reputation, asking some of the companies it has worked with to avoid putting its logo on dart boards, paper napkins and doormats. But marketing executives said Netflix was increasingly open to lending its name to outside projects, including joint marketing campaigns and products based on its shows.With so much content, Netflix has had trouble sustaining attention for some shows, which can come and go in a weekend of binge-watching, never to be mentioned again. The arrangements with the brands are one way it can keep attention focused on a given program. This month, Netflix posted a job listing for someone who would develop products, games and events to “drive meaningful show awareness” and make them “part of the zeitgeist for longer periods of time.”Netflix has a brand partnerships group, led by the executive Barry Smyth, which works with companies to use Netflix’s name in promotional campaigns and has recently hired people away from Fox, Lionsgate and other media companies. In a recent job listing for a position in Europe, Netflix said it wanted to “amplify the scope and impact of our marketing campaigns when we work with other brands.”This summer, Netflix’s biggest series, “Stranger Things,” a supernatural sci-fi show set in the 1980s, struck deals with 75 companies. In one, Netflix teamed up with Baskin Robbins on new ice cream flavors like the chocolate-icing-topped Eleven’s Heaven, named after the character Eleven, and Upside Down Pralines, a reference to the alternate dimension in the show, the Upside Down. In another deal, Coca-Cola briefly revived the failed 1985 beverage New Coke, which appeared in “Stranger Things” episodes, adding to its retro atmosphere.The brands did not pay to appear on the show, but Netflix took a licensing fee for a “Stranger Things” promotion in London designed by the immersive-theater company Secret Cinema, which recreated a mall from the series that sold special cosmetics from Mac and products from Coach. The pop-up mall opened in November, four months after Netflix made the show’s third season available to subscribers.The platform does not need to make money from major companies to benefit from working with them. The idea is to fuel subscriptions by drumming up interest in its shows through alliances with “brands where we feel like their audience will love our content as much as our audience does,” Netflix said in a statement.In a conference call with analysts this year, the Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings said the “Stranger Things” promotions were intended “to get more people excited about ‘Stranger Things,’ so they join Netflix, they tell their friends about it.”The same logic may extend to product placements. Netflix has typically left such decisions up to individual producers, saying in a statement that “most of the brands that appear in shows and movies are added by creators who believe they add to the authenticity of the story.” Netflix added that “instances where those placements are paid are rare and not a business focus for us.”That is a contrast with many of Netflix’s rivals, which have actively courted companies with offers to display their products onscreen — even introducing them to showrunners and providing them with script drafts. Hulu, for instance, has a team dedicated to working brands into its shows, with the number of paid arrangements increasing 200 percent from 2018 to 2019, it said. Netflix does not have an equivalent team.Still, products have appeared in Netflix shows for years (In 2013, a blogger posted a slide show of at least 57 corporate mentions on “House of Cards.”) Research last year suggested that more brand-name products appeared on shows tagged as Netflix Originals compared with the ones it streams from other studios.In the recent post-apocalyptic series “Daybreak,” characters comment on the array of products stockpiled in an apartment: Red Bull energy drinks, Settlers of Catan board games, Tide Pods and more. None of the companies paid to be included. But such product placements can be a boon to producers who are looking to have realistic props in a scene without having to pay for them.In the new Netflix holiday movie “The Knight Before Christmas,” a character spends nearly three minutes exploring a Sony television and Amazon’s Echo smart speaker. Both products were included free, but their presence set off a flurry of news articles and discussions on social media. Although much of the commentary was mocking, it drew attention to an otherwise standard seasonal film.Such appearances are part of a long history of corporate cameos, like Ray-Ban in “Top Gun” and Reese’s Pieces in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” Mike Myers even joked about product placement in “Wayne’s World”: “I will not bow to any sponsor,” he declared, posing with a slice from Pizza Hut.Some streaming subscribers have deemed the constant presence of products to be annoying and “a big turnoff.” And many companies have tired of the effort that goes into negotiating product placements, wondering whether a few TV commercials and billboards could reach the same number of people with less trouble.Carrie Drinkwater, the executive director of integrated investments at the Mediahub agency, said her team once tried to fit a client into the plot of the Netflix show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” only to balk after the production company involved set an “astronomical” price.“It’s a lot of money to integrate,” she said, “and it’s really hard to do it in an authentic way, and you don’t know how much it will resonate.” Read the full article

[eknowledgetree2015]

Netflix vs Hulu vs amazon prime vs Hotstar: Which is the Best Streaming Service?

The 21st century has made the tv industry obsolete. As the internet opened the doors to entertainment to billions of people. As streaming services took over the dying network media by storm. The viewers at home gained much more by choosing the streaming service over the networking media. No longer they have to pay for every little thing that came with the package, with the streaming service, the viewers are in charge of the service.

Netflix vs Hulu vs amazon prime vs Hotstar

Now in 2019, picking the best streaming service can be a tough thing to do, as more and more prominent companies have started getting into the streaming service pool. For example, now you can sign up for a streaming service for each sport that you used to watch on a sports channel. There is freedom in the streaming service. Before this, people used to pay for every sport on the channel because the channel had that one sport that they liked the most. Now with the streaming service, you can just start your membership with any sport that you want to watch unlike in the tv cable medium where you have to pay for every sport because the channel had your sport. Over the year many streaming moguls like Netflix, Hulu, Hotstar, and amazon prime has expanded their coverage to more people and providing great benefits with the product. Before we decide which is better than which, first we have to go through every one of them. So we can extract the detail information that will conclude which one of them is the best streaming service available in the market. 

Netflix: 

The letter N on a red background has been a recognized symbol for Netflix. They are the ones who started the revolution of streaming services even long before streaming service was a thing. Now they have a massive catalogue of all sorts of shows that appeals to every demographic. The only word that is synonymous with Netflix is the quality they offer for the price they charge for membership. For people who like movies, Netflix has the best collection of movies that you just watch in your home without going to the theatre. They even produce and create movies, and it opens the door to all the small creators with a camera and a dream. And many big-name directors have been moving to the Netflix streaming service to premiere their movie. Because of the streaming service in the future. Netflix has over 150 million members worldwide, 60 million of them are from the United States. Many special shows from the different regions have found a home on Netflix. That’s why Netflix has become a great streaming service for anybody looking for a diverse range of the program. You can expect movies, but with movies, you will get special tv shows, anime, sports, live concerts, and most important them all Netflix specials. These specials are what Netflix considers as watch worthy for the viewers. Out of the famous shows they have under them – Orange is the new black, south park, The OZ, Arrested Development, Stranger Things for the people who want the tv experience. For the people are more into adult theme cartoon, Netflix has a great list of Anime for you – Death Note, Naruto, Castle Vania, and many more. There is another reason that adds more weight to the Netflix, They always keep their list updated every day and add new stuff every season. So, people won’t get bored with the service. Netflix understands watching the same stuff over and over again might make the audience switch to other streaming services. The market competition makes every streaming service to add something new to their list every single month to be the best streaming service available in the market. The viewer will also get the option to download the shows, In case if there is a networking problem in your area, or you just don’t want to be connected to the internet all the time. Netflix also supports a wide variety of devices for you to stream without putting hassle on the set up of the task. Netflix offers a quality dark-themed interface to browser whatever you want to watch. This looks good and it won’t hurt your eyes if you open the app at midnight for a binge-watch a show or watch some movie on the couch. When it comes to the price point, Netflix starts its membership fee for $8.99 a month for the standard definition. For the people with HD tv, if you want the High definition experience of a show, you have to pay a little more than the standard definition users, $12,99. And for the people with a 4k screen, Netflix has you covered with Ultra HD package for $15.99.

 Hulu: 

Hulu started focusing more on networking tv than the movies. Hulu launched its service one year after Netflix launched theirs, in 2007. If you compare Netflix vs Hulu, Netflix has the experience and the more featured diverse list of shows under their belt. Many networking shows found Hulu as their secondary option of broadcasting shows. NBC universal found its place on the internet through Hulu. Now prominent programs of the ’90s can be found on Hulu. Good wholesome shows such as Friends, Seinfeld can now be streamed via Hulu. The question still stands, does Hulu has what it takes to become the best streaming service for the viewer? While other streaming services offering their work for the worldwide audience. Hulu is only available in the united states. They have the eyes of 28 million people to their service. When it comes to Netflix vs Hulu, Netflix has the number. The number for Hulu has been going up every year, in 2017, Hulu changed their business model. As they started adapting more Live tv shows on their streaming service. On Hulu Live streaming service blew up pretty fast. Where more people went to Hulu for a live broadcast without paying any extra fee. Just like every entertainment medium, Hulu is owned by Disney. Hulu had 5 year deal with the CW for streaming of shows such as Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash, Supernatural, but the contract has been expired, and all the shows have gone to Netflix. When it comes to Netflix vs Hulu, Netflix has a wide range of shows packing in a different category, Hulu lacks the content that another streaming service has to offer. Hulu now has the popular sitcom Seinfeld, Family Guy, and south park. All of these shows are the best what the entertainment media has to offer. With Hulu you will also be able to have access to the past season of highly popular Rick and Morty, Handmaiden’s tale, Chance, Casual, and many other shows to pass your time. Hulu has been adapting to the premiering of the original shows broadcasted on ABC, CBS, and FOX. As the originals shows are getting better reception by the critics and the audience. In Netflix vs Hulu, Hulu takes the cake here by providing the live telecast of the networking shows in your handheld devices. Hulu packs in a lot of channels for a few bucks from your pocket. If you want to watch other than the shows from ABC, CBS, or FOX. Then you have to pay some more, for example, you can watch the Game of Thrones on Hulu for $14.99 a month by getting the HBO channel package. With Hulu, you will get the entire channel under your disposal. Showtime for $10.99, Cinemax for $9.99. At the price point, Hulu comes in $5.99 per month. But this includes the commercial between the programs. If you are not an AD friendly person, you will have to switch to the non-ad Hulu service, which starts at $11,99 per month. 

Amazon Prime: 

Amazon has been reaching towards the streaming service too with brand new content on their list and proving many more benefits to the normal amazon member. We are now living in an age where streaming content has taken the centre stage of all entertainment mediums. And Amazon is not falling behind the schedule. They are on their way to becoming the best streaming service in the market. So far, compare it to the other streaming services in the market amazon prime offers their streaming services for a cheaper price. There are other benefits that a viewer will upon becoming a prime member of Amazon. For example, you are going to get a faster delivery service without any shipping fee. If you shop for a product on amazon, and the selective product doesn’t match the ideal rate for free delivery, then becoming a prime member would get you a free delivery option. When it comes to the show that they have to offer, it pretty lacks lustring. They are not that good while at the same time they are not that bad. Shows such as Jack Ryan, Marvelous Maisel, The Man in the high castle, Downton Abbey, The boys, The expense, and many more. All of these may not bring the best answer to the entertainment that you want, but they will quite a lot of fun to watch with your loved one or sharing with the family. The price tag for Amazon prime sets at $12.99 per month and $129 per year. If you join amazon prime now you are going to get a 30-day free trial which will cover up the shows and the shipping charges for your shopping. If you are a frequent Amazon shopper than amazon prime membership is a must-have, the benefits of the membership also expands to the entertainment system. This makes Amazon the wholesome choice for entertainment. If you are living in India then the prime membership would cost you around 999 rupees, which would land somewhere between $13 – 14 per year.

Hotstar:

By far the cheapest among all the streaming services and providing good quality content to match the price range. Hotstar is owned by the beloved star company. It features a lot of national and international program without making the viewer going for another streaming service to get access to their favourite program. As Hotstar manages to get all of the favourites into one place.  Star network brings all sorts of entertainment channels to the touch of your fingertips. Not only you will have access to the tv shows and movies but you will also get access to the sports section without paying any additional price for it. And if you prefer watching shows from HBO, with Hotstar you will get access to all the mainstream show under one app. This makes Hotstar the best streaming service in the market. As shows such as the game of thrones, silicon valley, West world, girls, True detective will be in one app without signing up for a new deal with HBO Go. And the fun doesn’t have to stop at the tv section. With Hotstar you will have access to thousands of movies from different genera all of it covered under one price point. No additional money is required to access each category of entertainment with Hotstar. Just download the app and enjoy the services.  Hotstar also features the live telecast of sports. For anyone like to glue to their tv in cricket season or football or basketball season, Hotstar is a perfect place to get your sportsmanship going to another level. As all of these will be available to you at the same time as they are being premiered throughout the world. With Hotstar you won’t miss your favourite program or fall sort on tracking your favourite sports team. Because you will be watching your favourite team playing the match on your handheld device and keeping up with the events in your favourite show. The regular subscription plan for Hotstar starts at 199 rupees per month, and 696 rupees per year. The price point makes the Hotstar the best choice for anyone looking for a streaming service on their phone or computer.  That’s it! The answer to the best streaming services available in the market is totally on you to decide which one of them spiked your interest in getting a monthly or yearly subscription. With Netflix, you are going to get access to specials, anime, tv shows. With Hulu you are gonna get the blast from the past shows, with Amazon Prime, you are going to get a decent amount show but extra benefits to your online shopping, and with Hotstar you are going to get every entertainment program and sports package under the cheapest price range. Read the full article

[magzoso-tech]

New Post has been published on https://magzoso.com/tech/could-solving-loneliness-be-streaming-tvs-next-innovation/

Could Solving Loneliness Be Streaming TV's Next Innovation?

Let’s bring the fundamentals of human relationships to the technologies we’re building.

November 12, 2019 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Netflix is the subject of envy for many companies today. The popular streaming service posted $16 billion in revenue in 2018 and has upwards of 151 million subscribers globally. It attracts some of the most creative minds in entertainment and is known for some of today’s most buzzworthy shows and movies, including Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why and Breaking Bad. It’s really no wonder Hulu, Amazon, Disney and Apple all want a piece of the streaming pie.

As an entrepreneur and TV lover, I share everyone’s appreciation for Netflix and the streaming market it pioneered. Like many people, I can’t imagine my life without it. Catching my favorite shows — and occasionally bingeing on them — is certainly something I look forward to at the end of a busy week.

But as a technologist, I have some reservations about Netflix and its impact on society. Don’t get me wrong: the company’s streaming service is a brilliant technological achievement. The clever way it utilizes data to continually improve its technology and deliver a seamless, personalized user experience is impressive. It’s what many other companies may consider the Holy Grail of innovation.

That said, if you look at the societal impact of Netflix, some concerns naturally emerge. Yes, the service has become a pop-culture phenomenon, but the company’s undeniable success is also inadvertently contributing to one of the biggest problems we have today: loneliness.

A 2019 study found that for the most part, streaming shows is a solo activity. In a survey of more than 300 U.S. consumers, 45 percent of streaming users report watching shows on their own; 23 percent report doing so with friends and family. This is in contrast to the prestreaming era, when families gathered around the TV set at a specific time and engaged in watercooler talk the next day.

Additionally, streaming is replacing other activities, including social ones. Thirteen percent of streaming users reported that they spend less time with their family to carve out more time for their favorite shows, and 12 percent report hanging out less with their friends.

Related: Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Hulu Dominate Streaming, for Now

If you’re a streaming user, I bet these stats don’t really surprise you. But these trends are very concerning if you consider that the rates of loneliness have doubled in the U.S. since the 1980s. Millennials and those in Gen Z are the biggest victims of the loneliness epidemic.

Of course, it’s not fair to put the blame on Netflix alone. Loneliness is a multifactor problem. Many researchers point to social media and the FOMO culture it has cultivated as another big culprit. A growing body of evidence shows that there’s a correlation between how much time people spend on social media and how lonely they are.  

As an entrepreneur, I hold an abundant and optimistic view of technology. I believe technology can bring enormous value to businesses and the consumers they serve. More important, I believe technologies should improve society. This point of view is why I’m mostly optimistic that soon we’ll see companies create technologies and experiences that will help people connect in more authentic ways and help them enrich their lives.

Related: How to Combat the Growing Epidemic of Loneliness in the Workplace

Really, the technology industry doesn’t have any choice but to help address the loneliness epidemic. The need to find your tribe and to belong is innate in every human. It’s in our DNA — a requirement for survival. More consumers are becoming aware of the impact of tech addiction to their social lives, so we’re bound to see more pressure on tech companies to do something about the loneliness issue.

To some extent, we’re already seeing glimpses of change. Apple’s usage metrics are an attempt to help consumers make educated decisions about how much time they want to spend on their phones. Facebook’s Watch Party feature as an attempt to transform online video watching into a more social experience. Netflix’s experimentation with interactive content is also interesting in that it’s a small step toward getting audiences more actively engaged with the content they’re consuming. 

But there’s still much to be done. To drive real change, innovators should go back to basics and bring the fundamentals of human relationships to the technologies we’re building. We need to look at how people want to connect with each other and build technologies that mirror those interactions and foster relationships. This could be as simple as embedding technology that lets people chat with other viewers in real time within a streaming app — something more seamless and engaging than a subreddit or a Facebook group.

Another potential solution has nothing to do with technology at all. Why not extend the experience offline? What if streaming services introduced physical spaces for people to assemble and geek out on their favorite shows? If there was an opportunity for my wife and me to join a tribe of Stranger Things fans and meet in person, we’d be in!

Related: This Accidental Entrepreneur Is Tackling the Problem of Loneliness

Content creators also have an opportunity to draw people together. What if rather than creating content that turns people into passive viewers, there were opportunities to get them more involved and connected with others? This could be as simple as allowing people to customize their viewing experience (similar to Netflix’s “Bandersnatch” experiment), or it could be something bigger such as letting an exclusive community of superfans chat with each other to shape the story.

The increasing awareness of the loneliness problem means that the next big opportunity in technology is in helping create real, lasting connections. We can — and should — help foster relationships and bring back the human element to the way we do business. This is what I’m trying to do for market research, and I hope it’s what other entrepreneurs are doing in their chosen fields as well.

Brands like Netflix, Facebook and Instagram created huge, disruptive businesses by commanding people’s attention. But consumers want and deserve more. The companies that listen to consumers today and deliver on people’s need for genuine connection are set to lead the next phase of innovation — and build the next businesses that will transform their industries.  

[hawk-in-a-jazzy-hat]

On the Necessity of Endings

I recently read an interesting article (which you can and should read here) about how the direction and current success of superhero movies, in particular the MCU, is actually signalling their demise. In particular it asks the question of what is going to happen to the genre after Infinity War. It’s one of the most ambitious film projects ever made, with every major superhero from the universe slated to appear. So once that’s been and gone, what can Marvel, or in fact any company, do that will possibly top it?

I would agree with the article and argue that honestly the main MCU should end with Infinity War. At least for the time being.

There’s a definite trend of being human that we don’t want things to end. We want to enjoy life, and having to say goodbye to something we enjoy is and always will be an incredibly hard thing. Nowhere is that more clear than with the media; we want to keep seeing the stuff we enjoy, and current media is feeding into that. No sooner had Ant Man come out with fantastic reviews then suddenly the whole Marvel schedule was pushed aside to make room for Ant Man and the Wasp which we’re suddenly making now. And hey, at least they’re pretty good at the planning stuff; the DCU have been trying to push film after film and each one has been slowly plopping out to mixed reviews at best, and yet people still want to see more.

It’s not just superhero movies; it’s everywhere within Western media culture. It’s becoming increasingly rare for modern cartoons, whether owned by Cartoon Network, Disney or otherwise, to go out on its own merits anymore, in fact the only ones I can think of are Gravity Falls and Mystery Incorporated. Some shows have just been continually renewed for far longer than they should have been allowed (TMNT, Adventure Time) which in turn has had to cut others short without a chance to fully conclude themselves (Wander over Yonder, Korra, Young Justice etc).

And Netflix is a proponent of this as well; combining the need to see more and more of a franchise with the binge-culture which they keep pushing means that the audience isn’t given any time to actually savour the shows they’re watching. When you can sit down and watch 20 straight episodes of a show, you become addicted, and then when you run out of the show, you immediately want more. I don’t think it’s a healthy way of consuming shows and it would honestly be more helpful if more of their shows actually had proper conclusions.

And of course there’s anime, which in this regard has been getting slowly worse. Back in the mid-2000s, seeing a complete 2-cour show was the norm, but now we just get manga adaptation after manga adaptation, and very rarely actually completing the story properly. Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, Re:Zero, One Punch Man and Mob Psycho; even the best shows we’ve gotten from the past few years have neglected actually ending, instead just acting as a teaser for more. Always more. Even things which already had good endings keep getting dragged back; do we really need another Code Geass? So rarely can we have something that actually satisfies us then and there anymore. It’s one reason why I still rate 91 Days so highly, because it actually told a complete story. There’s nothing wrong with cliffhangers, or hints to future seasons, but when that’s all you’re getting from everything you watch it just builds and builds and becomes unmanageable.

I like endings. I want to see things finish; for the characters to get what they want, or what they deserve, and for the story to reach its natural endpoint. I think this goes for most things; out of everything which I watch and I enjoy, the only show I can think of which I never want to see end is Doctor Who, and that’s because the show kind of ends and begins again with every regeneration or every new writer anyway. There’s always something different, for better or for worse, and there’s always room for new talent to show what they can do. I would imagine franchises like Star Trek or James Bond would be the same to the people who love them; huge, ever-evolving universes with infinite stories to tell.

But yes, I do agree that the MCU, as we know it, should end with Infinity War. I don’t think it will, because it’s a huge cash-cow for Disney, but if that’s not going to happen, then at least change it. Mix up the formula. Let the old Avengers move on and show off something new. I’d love to see a new team come together, maybe only gradually, but enough to build itself a new identity (starting with Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel, maybe?). Let the old universe end, and let something new take it’s place. Same with the rest of media; one thing anime at least does right is that there is always something new, every season. For as many great second seasons as we’ve got starting in April, we’ve got new stories and adaptations to chew on as well. But this needs to be the norm. I’m thankful that Adventure Time and Gumball are ending, because they’ve had fantastic runs and now it’s their time to step down, and let new ideas like Twelve Forever or Infinity Train have their turn.

We need to learn how to let go of the things we love once again. We need to be able to look back on the stuff we enjoy, smile and think “That was such a good story.” And maybe even revisit it, a few years later. It makes me so sad when the people I talk to don’t rewatch anything, because there’s too much new stuff to keep up with. Always something new, and never a chance to look back and appreciate the old once again.

All things must come to an end, otherwise nothing new will ever truly begin. Let’s at least try to let things end in the best way they can.

[biofunmy]

Netflix Shuns Commercials, but It’s Cozying Up to Brands

Netflix subscribers like being able to glide through entire seasons of “Stranger Things” and “The Crown” without sitting through commercials for insurance and S.U.V.s with bows on the hood. Subscriptions, rather than advertising, drive its nearly $16 billion in annual revenue, and being commercial-free “remains a deep part of our brand proposition,” Netflix said in a statement.

While it is the dominant streaming platform, with 158 million global subscribers, Netflix also has a $12 billion pile of debt. And it is facing competition from deep-pocketed streaming newcomers like the Walt Disney Company and Apple. The research firm eMarketer said this month that Netflix’s “days at the top may be numbered,” and many analysts and executives wonder if, in order to keep its revenue strong, it will have to embrace ads.

“I don’t know why they wouldn’t,” said Peter Naylor, the head of advertising sales for the streaming platform Hulu.

Even as Netflix resists commercials, it is finding ways to work with brands. Last month, Netflix worked with the sandwich chain Subway to start offering a Green Eggs and Ham Sub (spinach-dyed eggs, sliced ham, guacamole, cheese) tied to the new Netflix series “Green Eggs and Ham,” based on the Dr. Seuss book. The sandwich generated a lot of publicity for Netflix in the lifestyle press while also putting the Netflix name in front of the millions of people who buy a Subway sandwich each day.

“We believe we will have a more valuable business in the long term,” Netflix said, “by staying out of competing for ad revenue and instead entirely focusing on competing for viewer satisfaction.”

In another recent cross-promotion, Netflix charged the clothing company Diesel a license fee to make outfits inspired by “La Casa de Papel,” one of Netflix’s most popular shows. Online ads from Diesel hammered home the connection by showing the Netflix name, mentioning “La Casa de Papel” and featuring characters in the distinctive red jumpsuits worn by the show’s protagonists.

Netflix is “actively beefing up its marketing team,” according to the research firm Forrester. “They’re being more flexible in the types of partnerships they can offer,” said Ellie Bamford, an executive at the marketing agency R/GA.

When Netflix worked with Samsung and Aviation American Gin on a commercial last month featuring the actor Ryan Reynolds and his new Netflix film “6 Underground,” no money changed hands. For Netflix, such deals are mostly about keeping people aware of the Netflix brand.

Netflix declined to say whether deals with companies would become a larger revenue stream in the future.

But companies have long been eager to go into business with Netflix, even before it scored 34 Golden Globe nominations this month. The platform has something brands crave: a young audience. Its average viewer is 31, part of a group highly sought by companies as younger people avoid broadcast and cable television and are known to hate ads.

“Brands want to be in front of this audience,” Ms. Bamford said. “Reaching these unreachables, these cord-cutters who don’t want to be fed an ad, is a huge concern.”

Major companies flirt with Netflix on social media, and Netflix is flirting back. This month, the company’s Twitter account, with seven million followers, participated in a saucy meme about things people say during sex, trading quips about it with the Wendy’s Twitter account (3.4 million followers) and Penguin Random House (1.3 million followers). Last spring, Netflix posted a tweet that included a photo of nine cast members from one of its original shows, “Sense8,” as they appeared to be celebrating in an Audi convertible, and then had a joking exchange about it with the Audi account (two million followers).

In contrast to its cheery social-media tone, Netflix is “not necessarily the easiest to work with” on promotional partnerships with companies, said Stacy Jones, the chief executive of the entertainment marketing company Hollywood Branded. She described Netflix as “very picky,” saying it “wants to be the lead.”

“They’re in a power position right now,” Ms. Jones said. “They know the market, and they’re controlling it and keeping it very tight.”

Netflix is careful to guard its reputation, asking some of the companies it has worked with to avoid putting its logo on dart boards, paper napkins and doormats. But marketing executives said Netflix was increasingly open to lending its name to outside projects, including joint marketing campaigns and products based on its shows.

With so much content, Netflix has had trouble sustaining attention for some shows, which can come and go in a weekend of binge-watching, never to be mentioned again. The arrangements with the brands are one way it can keep attention focused on a given program. This month, Netflix posted a job listing for someone who would develop products, games and events to “drive meaningful show awareness” and make them “part of the zeitgeist for longer periods of time.”

Netflix has a brand partnerships group, led by the executive Barry Smyth, which works with companies to use Netflix’s name in promotional campaigns and has recently hired people away from Fox, Lionsgate and other media companies. In a recent job listing for a position in Europe, Netflix said it wanted to “amplify the scope and impact of our marketing campaigns when we work with other brands.”

This summer, Netflix’s biggest series, “Stranger Things,” a supernatural sci-fi show set in the 1980s, struck deals with 75 companies. In one, Netflix teamed up with Baskin Robbins on new ice cream flavors like the chocolate-icing-topped Eleven’s Heaven, named after the character Eleven, and Upside Down Pralines, a reference to the alternate dimension in the show, the Upside Down. In another deal, Coca-Cola briefly revived the failed 1985 beverage New Coke, which appeared in “Stranger Things” episodes, adding to its retro atmosphere.

The brands did not pay to appear on the show, but Netflix took a licensing fee for a “Stranger Things” promotion in London designed by the immersive-theater company Secret Cinema, which recreated a mall from the series that sold special cosmetics from Mac and products from Coach. The pop-up mall opened in November, four months after Netflix made the show’s third season available to subscribers.

The platform does not need to make money from major companies to benefit from working with them. The idea is to fuel subscriptions by drumming up interest in its shows through alliances with “brands where we feel like their audience will love our content as much as our audience does,” Netflix said in a statement.

In a conference call with analysts this year, the Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings said the “Stranger Things” promotions were intended “to get more people excited about ‘Stranger Things,’ so they join Netflix, they tell their friends about it.”

The same logic may extend to product placements. Netflix has typically left such decisions up to individual producers, saying in a statement that “most of the brands that appear in shows and movies are added by creators who believe they add to the authenticity of the story.” Netflix added that “instances where those placements are paid are rare and not a business focus for us.”

That is a contrast with many of Netflix’s rivals, which have actively courted companies with offers to display their products onscreen — even introducing them to showrunners and providing them with script drafts. Hulu, for instance, has a team dedicated to working brands into its shows, with the number of paid arrangements increasing 200 percent from 2018 to 2019, it said. Netflix does not have an equivalent team.

Still, products have appeared in Netflix shows for years (In 2013, a blogger posted a slide show of at least 57 corporate mentions on “House of Cards.”) Research last year suggested that more brand-name products appeared on shows tagged as Netflix Originals compared with the ones it streams from other studios.

In the recent post-apocalyptic series “Daybreak,” characters comment on the array of products stockpiled in an apartment: Red Bull energy drinks, Settlers of Catan board games, Tide Pods and more. None of the companies paid to be included. But such product placements can be a boon to producers who are looking to have realistic props in a scene without having to pay for them.

In the new Netflix holiday movie “The Knight Before Christmas,” a character spends nearly three minutes exploring a Sony television and Amazon’s Echo smart speaker. Both products were included free, but their presence set off a flurry of news articles and discussions on social media. Although much of the commentary was mocking, it drew attention to an otherwise standard seasonal film.

Such appearances are part of a long history of corporate cameos, like Ray-Ban in “Top Gun” and Reese’s Pieces in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” Mike Myers even joked about product placement in “Wayne’s World”: “I will not bow to any sponsor,” he declared, posing with a slice from Pizza Hut.

Some streaming subscribers have deemed the constant presence of products to be annoying and “a big turnoff.” And many companies have tired of the effort that goes into negotiating product placements, wondering whether a few TV commercials and billboards could reach the same number of people with less trouble.

Carrie Drinkwater, the executive director of integrated investments at the Mediahub agency, said her team once tried to fit a client into the plot of the Netflix show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” only to balk after the production company involved set an “astronomical” price.

“It’s a lot of money to integrate,” she said, “and it’s really hard to do it in an authentic way, and you don’t know how much it will resonate.”

Sahred From Source link Business

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[jamesgeiiger]

Netflix and chill no more – streaming is getting complicated

Streaming TV may never again be as simple, or as affordable, as it is now.

Disney and WarnerMedia are each launching their own streaming services in 2019 in a challenge to Netflix’s dominance. Netflix viewers will no longer be able to watch hit movies such as “Black Panther” or “Moana,” which will soon reside on Disney’s subscription service. WarnerMedia, a unit of AT&T, will also soon have its own service to showcase its library of blockbuster films and HBO series.

Families will have to decide between paying more each month or losing access to some of their favourite dramas, comedies, musicals and action flicks.

“There’s definitely a lot of change coming,” said Paul Verna at eMarketer, a digital research company. “People will have more choices of what to stream, but at the same time the market is already fragmented and intimidating and it is only going to get more so.”

Media companies are seeking to capitalize on the popularity and profitability of streaming. But by fragmenting the market, they’re also narrowing the once wide selection that fueled the rise of internet-based video. About 55 per cent of U.S. households now subscribe to paid streaming video services, up from just 10 per cent in 2009, according to research firm Deloitte.

Just as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime tempted people to “cut the cord” by cancelling traditional cable TV packages, the newer services are looking to dismember those more-inclusive options.

Disney Plus is set to launch late next year with new Marvel and Star Wars programming, along with its library of animated and live-action movies and shows. It hasn’t announced pricing yet, but Disney CEO Bob Iger said in an August call with analysts that it will likely be less than Netflix, which runs $8 to $14 a month, since its library will be smaller.

AT&T plans a three-tier offering from WarnerMedia, with a slate of new and library content centred around the existing HBO streaming app. No word on pricing yet.

Individual channels, such as Fox, ESPN, CBS and Showtime, are also getting into the act. Research group TDG predicts that every major TV network will launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service in the next five years.

Netflix and others have invested heavily in original movies and TV shows to keep their customers loyal. Netflix, for instance, said Wednesday that 45 million subscriber accounts worldwide watched the Sandra Bullock thriller “Bird Box” during its first seven days on the service, the biggest first-week success of any movie made for the company’s nearly 12-year-old streaming service.

That first-week audience means nearly a third of Netflix’s 137 million subscribers watched the movie from Dec. 21 through Dec. 27 — a holiday-season stretch when many people aren’t working and have more free time.

But Netflix, Hulu and others may soon have to do without programs and movies licensed from their soon-to-be rivals. In December, Netflix paid a reported $100 million to continue licensing “Friends” from WarnerMedia.

Why are media companies looking to get in? Data and dollars. Sure, they get money when they sell their programs to other services like Netflix. But starting their own service allows networks and studios access to valuable data about who is binging on their shows.

For services with ad-based options, that data translates into more dollars from advertisers. And services that rely only on subscription revenues, media companies can use the data to better tailor their offerings for individual tastes, helping to draw in more subscribers.

“I think all media companies are coming to grips with the reality that you better establish a relationship directly with your audiences,” said AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson at an analyst conference earlier this month.

The business model that some networks and content companies are currently using, distributing their TV shows and movies only by licensing them to streaming platforms, is getting “disrupted aggressively” as more companies launch their own services, said Stephenson, whose company acquired WarnerMedia in June.

Forrester analyst Jim Nail compares this moment to the “Cambrian explosion,” a historic era when plant and animal species rapidly multiplied after Ice Age glaciers receded.

“Big brands like Disney have to evaluate: Are we only going to access this market by licensing our content to Netflix, Hulu and others?” he said. “Or, can we go direct to the consumer with our own service?”

But a multiplicity of streaming services could easily overwhelm or confuse consumers. To get a full slate of programming, TV watchers may soon have to subscribe to several services instead of just one or two.

Among those options will be services like Netflix and Hulu that offer a wide range of video from a variety of sources; cable-like “skinny bundles” such as FuboTV, Sling and YouTube TV that offer a variety of live channels; and channel- or network-specific services like Disney Plus.

Consider just AT&T’s plan to launch a three-tiered service this year centred on HBO. An entry-level bundle will offer mostly movies; a second, slightly more expensive tier will include original programming and newer movies. A third and still more expensive offering would add more WarnerMedia entertainment such as “Friends.”

The cost of multiple streaming services could quickly approach the average cost of a cable bill — not counting the cost of internet service. That’s around $107 per month, according to Leichtman Research Group.

“It’s unlikely any of the services individually can charge more than $10 per month,” Forrester’s Nail said. “The great unknown is how many individual streaming services people are willing to sign up for.”

Companies are already trying to tame this chaos by bundling multiple streaming services together. Amazon Prime customers can add-on subscriptions to HBO, Showtime or Starz. Roku and Chromecast viewers can access their different services from a central place; Roku said Wednesday it will start selling in-app access to Showtime, Starz and other channels as well.

How should consumers deal with all the coming change?

“Be patient,” said Michael Greeson, president of research group TDG. “We’re in a time of dramatic change for the TV and video business. There’ll be great benefits, and question marks and consequences.”

Netflix and chill no more – streaming is getting complicated published first on https://worldwideinvestforum.tumblr.com/

[mikemortgage]

Netflix and chill no more – streaming is getting complicated

Streaming TV may never again be as simple, or as affordable, as it is now.

Disney and WarnerMedia are each launching their own streaming services in 2019 in a challenge to Netflix’s dominance. Netflix viewers will no longer be able to watch hit movies such as “Black Panther” or “Moana,” which will soon reside on Disney’s subscription service. WarnerMedia, a unit of AT&T, will also soon have its own service to showcase its library of blockbuster films and HBO series.

Families will have to decide between paying more each month or losing access to some of their favourite dramas, comedies, musicals and action flicks.

“There’s definitely a lot of change coming,” said Paul Verna at eMarketer, a digital research company. “People will have more choices of what to stream, but at the same time the market is already fragmented and intimidating and it is only going to get more so.”

Media companies are seeking to capitalize on the popularity and profitability of streaming. But by fragmenting the market, they’re also narrowing the once wide selection that fueled the rise of internet-based video. About 55 per cent of U.S. households now subscribe to paid streaming video services, up from just 10 per cent in 2009, according to research firm Deloitte.

Just as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime tempted people to “cut the cord” by cancelling traditional cable TV packages, the newer services are looking to dismember those more-inclusive options.

Disney Plus is set to launch late next year with new Marvel and Star Wars programming, along with its library of animated and live-action movies and shows. It hasn’t announced pricing yet, but Disney CEO Bob Iger said in an August call with analysts that it will likely be less than Netflix, which runs $8 to $14 a month, since its library will be smaller.

AT&T plans a three-tier offering from WarnerMedia, with a slate of new and library content centred around the existing HBO streaming app. No word on pricing yet.

Individual channels, such as Fox, ESPN, CBS and Showtime, are also getting into the act. Research group TDG predicts that every major TV network will launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service in the next five years.

Netflix and others have invested heavily in original movies and TV shows to keep their customers loyal. Netflix, for instance, said Wednesday that 45 million subscriber accounts worldwide watched the Sandra Bullock thriller “Bird Box” during its first seven days on the service, the biggest first-week success of any movie made for the company’s nearly 12-year-old streaming service.

That first-week audience means nearly a third of Netflix’s 137 million subscribers watched the movie from Dec. 21 through Dec. 27 — a holiday-season stretch when many people aren’t working and have more free time.

But Netflix, Hulu and others may soon have to do without programs and movies licensed from their soon-to-be rivals. In December, Netflix paid a reported $100 million to continue licensing “Friends” from WarnerMedia.

Why are media companies looking to get in? Data and dollars. Sure, they get money when they sell their programs to other services like Netflix. But starting their own service allows networks and studios access to valuable data about who is binging on their shows.

For services with ad-based options, that data translates into more dollars from advertisers. And services that rely only on subscription revenues, media companies can use the data to better tailor their offerings for individual tastes, helping to draw in more subscribers.

“I think all media companies are coming to grips with the reality that you better establish a relationship directly with your audiences,” said AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson at an analyst conference earlier this month.

The business model that some networks and content companies are currently using, distributing their TV shows and movies only by licensing them to streaming platforms, is getting “disrupted aggressively” as more companies launch their own services, said Stephenson, whose company acquired WarnerMedia in June.

Forrester analyst Jim Nail compares this moment to the “Cambrian explosion,” a historic era when plant and animal species rapidly multiplied after Ice Age glaciers receded.

“Big brands like Disney have to evaluate: Are we only going to access this market by licensing our content to Netflix, Hulu and others?” he said. “Or, can we go direct to the consumer with our own service?”

But a multiplicity of streaming services could easily overwhelm or confuse consumers. To get a full slate of programming, TV watchers may soon have to subscribe to several services instead of just one or two.

Among those options will be services like Netflix and Hulu that offer a wide range of video from a variety of sources; cable-like “skinny bundles” such as FuboTV, Sling and YouTube TV that offer a variety of live channels; and channel- or network-specific services like Disney Plus.

Consider just AT&T’s plan to launch a three-tiered service this year centred on HBO. An entry-level bundle will offer mostly movies; a second, slightly more expensive tier will include original programming and newer movies. A third and still more expensive offering would add more WarnerMedia entertainment such as “Friends.”

The cost of multiple streaming services could quickly approach the average cost of a cable bill — not counting the cost of internet service. That’s around $107 per month, according to Leichtman Research Group.

“It’s unlikely any of the services individually can charge more than $10 per month,” Forrester’s Nail said. “The great unknown is how many individual streaming services people are willing to sign up for.”

Companies are already trying to tame this chaos by bundling multiple streaming services together. Amazon Prime customers can add-on subscriptions to HBO, Showtime or Starz. Roku and Chromecast viewers can access their different services from a central place; Roku said Wednesday it will start selling in-app access to Showtime, Starz and other channels as well.

How should consumers deal with all the coming change?

“Be patient,” said Michael Greeson, president of research group TDG. “We’re in a time of dramatic change for the TV and video business. There’ll be great benefits, and question marks and consequences.”

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[digital-strategy]

Much has been said about AT&T’s supposed plans for HBO, the US-based premium cable network that’s often considered the most valuable component of Time Warner (which AT&T bought for $108B in June 2018 and renamed WarnerMedia). The prevailing narrative suggests AT&T wants HBO to become Netflix – something Netflix has been expecting HBO to attempt since at least 2012. This sparked considerable outrage from fans of HBO, most of whom believe such a move would not only dilute the network’s best-in-class content offering, but fundamentally rewire the company. After all, this is the brand that long professed “It’s not TV. It’s HBO.” And, well, Netflix is trying to be TV.

Being protective of the HBO that exists today is sensible. No matter who you are, there’s something to love. Not only is HBO the most profitable single network in the world, it also produces much of the industry’s best content (averaging ~25% of all nominations for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmys since 2013, despite airing only 4% of all series). The company’s talent-friendly development team and creative expertise have also made it the “network of choice” for Hollywood’s most celebrated showrunners, writers and stars. And for video distributors, there’s no network they can sell that has a greater impact on profitability than HBO.

But to continue to win, HBO, like all successful businesses, needs to change and grow. This isn’t about failure, nor empire building. Instead, its about adapting to the fundamental changes to the very business HBO conquered. Over-the-top distribution means more than moving content from the TV to an internet-enabled device. It means competing in a market that’s not fair, that’s fought both locally and globally, and where every participant must make and do more than ever before. And so before one critiques what HBO should be, or what AT&T might want it to be, it’s important to address three key areas of context.

  #1 – Why HBO Needs More Content

While the SVOD narrative typically focuses on original television series, movies are incredibly important. This is particularly true for HBO. While the network’s catalog is primarily composed of TV content, films represent 73% of total viewing and 34% on HBO Go/HBO Now (the network’s closest Netflix comp). In addition, 40% of all of HBO’s viewers watch only on the network’s film content. This engagement stems from HBO’s dominant share of major studio “Pay-1” deals, which provide the network with an exclusive first window to the films theatrical distributed by Warner Bros., 21st Century Fox, Universal Studios (excluding DreamWorks Animation) and Summit Entertainment. To point, the network has often marketed the fact that it had exclusive rights to half of the biggest 25 films at the prior year’s box office. However, increasing verticalization across the media industry means that most Pay-1 deals are likely to be taken off the market in the years to come.

Although HBO will likely be able to renew its deal with sister company Warner Bros. (#2 at the 2017 box office), the recently acquired Fox (#4) is likely to be retained by Disney for its forthcoming streaming service and/or Hulu. Universal’s Pay-1 (#3), meanwhile, is expected to stay within NBCUniversal/Comcast (though its OTT video play remains unclear) and Summit is now owned by Lionsgate (see below). Among studios not on HBO today, the odds are long. We already know Disney’s catalog (#1) will be exclusive to the company’s streaming service once its deal with Netflix ends in 2019. Lionsgate/Summit (#6) is expected to divert its content to Starz (which it bought in 2016). Paramount’s (#7) remains up for grabs, but if/when Viacom is acquired by CBS, it’s likely to end up on CBS All Access. Sony (#5) is also TBD, but as a perennial acquisition target, its Pay-1 may also vanish. And should any deals come available (such as Universal), they’ll be hotly contested and unprecedentedly expensive. For years, HBO faced only one or two competitors in bidding for these rights. Now it also faces well-capitalized competitors such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. And if HBO does win, they will still experience a net reduction in their total Pay-1 share of top films.

However, this is as common a problem as the solution is clear. Most modern networks, including AMC and Netflix, began with only licensed content. But as licenses became more costly and scarce, and programming competition more intense, almost all of these networks progressively shifted their budget to original content (85% of incremental spend at Netflix is now on originals). HBO helped pioneer this path back in 1995 when it greenlit Oz, and today nearly 50% of its budget is on Originals and exclusive sports. Going forward, this share (and thus the company’s output) will need to grow further. Fortunately, the company has several years to replace its Pay-1 catalog as its current deals covers movies released through 2021 and 2022 (and these films would then be available for roughly 15 months before leaving the service).

Beyond simply offsetting Pay-1 losses, it’s important to consider how the programming requirements for SVOD services are greater than those of traditional (i.e. pay-TV) networks. Today, fewer than a quarter of HBO’s subscribers actually subscribe to HBO at $15 per month. Instead, most subscribe to a premium cable bundle of HBO+Showtime+Starz (at $25 or $30) or as part of an “everything TV” package ($120+). Over-the-top, however, HBO is sold à la carte – which provides greater pricing transparency to customers, lacks multi-network bundling, and is month-to-month versus annual. This challenges HBO core’s programming strategy, which aspires to have at least one show for every subscriber at all times.

In the over-the-top world, HBO is asking customers to pay $15 to watch four episodes of a single show each month (and $45 total to watch a single season), plus the occasional movie. Not only can these subscribers choose lower-priced substitutes with substantially greater volume (and an increasingly comparable library of Emmy nominees), they can simply wait until a given HBO show has finished its weekly releases and then binge it for a single month’s fee (or they can wait until several shows have accumulated and binge them all for that same $15). This “binge-and-churn” behavior is common in for à la carte SVOD services, but it’s new for the premium cable networks who used to collectively offer several shows per month as part of an annual, bundled contract that their subscriber couldn’t pause and restart.

For similar reasons, HBO’s low-volume strategy also exposes the company to significant creative risk. If a series misfires (HBO’s Here and Now premiered in February 2018 and was cancelled two months later), the network can ends up with no new content to offer the show’s target audience for more than two months. As a result, HBO can encounter significant customer churn (which means lost revenue, increased customer acquisition costs and lower viewership of all other HBO content – including future premieres). Increased output not only reduces this programming risk, it also helps sustain a $15 month-to-month subscription.

  #2 – Why HBO needs to be more global

While HBO content is available worldwide and the company counts close to 90MM international subscribers, the nature of these subscribers and the company’s foreign operations varies significantly. Outside the US, HBO operates under a number of business/operating models. The first model is “owned and operated channels” (or “O&Os”) where HBO shares the same responsibilities and costs as it does in the US. In some markets, HBO’s O&O networks are available only via traditional TV (HBO Asia) or OTT subscription (HBO Nordic), while in others it might be available through both channels (HBO in Brazil). The second model is joint venture networks, which are co-financed by HBO but co-owned and operated by a local partner (HBO Latin America was set-up by minority owner and day-to-day operator Ole Communications, with Sony, Disney and Universal all serving as partners). HBO’s third model is licensing. Here, the network either licenses its brand and original content to a foreign operator (HBO Canada is owned and operated by Bell Media, a large telco) or just its content (in the UK, Germany and Italy, HBO content is only available on one of Sky’s self-branded networks, along with considerable non-HBO content). In some of these markets, HBO isn’t even a paid channel – it might be available on basic cable, or even via broadcast.

This multi-model strategy create a substantial range in per-subscriber economics, with HBO receiving as much as $10 per viewer/subscriber month in some markets and as little as $0.08 in others (both subject to currency swings). In aggregate, REDEF estimates that HBO’s foreign business (90MM subscribers + international licensing revenue) generated $1.3B last year – with its domestic operations generating more than three times as much on 60% fewer subscribers. While HBO’s international strategy might thus seem to have left considerable money on the table, it also allowed the company to expand globally without investing heavily in local offices, navigating complex regulatory and distribution agreements, or developing (and in many cases, even licensing) market-specific content. As a result, HBO spent some 20 years generating billions in revenue with almost no costs or efforts. International was, in a sense, considerable upside to a lucrative domestic business.

However, many of these advantages have atrophied as over-the-top distribution has emerged. For example, a network can now operate in foreign markets without many of the aforementioned operational costs and burdens (Netflix is available in Cuba, for example). And international exposure produces competitive advantages that bolster every other market, including domestic. As a result, HBO’s remunerative foreign model has begun to feel expensive, not gilded. We see this in a few ways.

First, it means HBO doesn’t have a direct relationship with (or individually know) the majority of its international viewers and subscribers. Second, the network can’t serve these customers on a common platform. This makes investing in technology and product more costly, limits customer data/personalization, hinders the ability to perform content analytics and prevents subscribers from watching HBO outside their home country (Netflix subscribers can watch Netflix anywhere). Third, HBO’s foreign deals can tether the company to the decline of traditional TV and/or limit its ability to prepare for life after it. In today’s brand-centric marketplace, for example, HBO is without a consumer-facing brand in many of the largest global markets (e.g. the UK, Germany, Italy). And in some of the markets in which HBO is a branded channel (Canada), HBO only controls its brand guidelines – it can’t force its partners to launch à la carte OTT offerings, increase marketing spend, invest in local originals or licenses, etc. With its joint ventures, HBO faces the even larger challenge of having to persuade its local partners to reinvest in and cannibalize their shared business in order to help HBO improve/grow the business they don’t share (i.e. other markets, their tech stack, etc.).

This model can also limit HBO’s ability to invest in content overall. Netflix, for example, uses its foreign markets not as upside to its US operations, but as an opportunity to bolster its worldwide content catalog (including the US). There’s no The Crown, Dark or 3% if Netflix doesn’t operate in the UK, Germany or Brazil, for example. There would also be fewer US-originated series (and likely fewer high-budget series) were Netflix not available – and thus able to monetize – on a truly global basis. Finally, there’s the economic argument. Due to the low-touch nature of OTT distribution, global networks benefit from unprecedented operating leverage. While HBO’s largely risk-free and margin-rich $1.3B in international subscription revenue makes Netflix’s high-risk 4.5% margin on $5.1B (or $227MM net) seem paltry, Netflix has seen international contribution margins grow an average of 11 percentage points in each of the past four years. If this trend (and that of revenue growth) holds, Netflix will net $1.25B abroad in 2019.

  #3 – Why HBO needs more subscribers and more usage

Scale, defined by both the number of subscribers and their frequency of use, has always mattered in the video business. But it is now existentially relevant. As a network gets larger and more used, every aspect of its business becomes easier and more defensible. Growth makes it easier to afford content (costs don’t vary based on viewership, while efficiency does), launch this content (viewers tend to concentrate their online video use on their default service), and ensure these investments are successful (even the smallest niches can be economical if a network’s install base is large enough).

Today, for example, Netflix will often release B-grade shows to greater success than its primary competitors (Amazon/Hulu/HBO/Showtime/Starz) do with great ones (which are far harder to find and make). Furthermore, Netflix can often economically outspend these competitors on either category of series while releasing more of them. In today’s blockbuster-driven media environment, the number of “at bats” is a significant advantage; one “home run” (e.g. Game of Thrones) can be worth dozens of singles or doubles, if not more.

We also see scale dynamics play out in HBO’s most valued market: talent. Over the past year alone, Netflix has made $100-300MM deals with top-tier showrunners Shonda Rhymes, Ryan Murphy and Kenya Barris. While each creator doubtlessly would have loved to produce for HBO, the network can’t put out the sufficient volume of series needed to recoup nine-figure deals or satisfy the appetites of each creator (in 2019, Murphy alone will have more than half as many shows on the air as HBO). No other network or studio has ever made a nine-figure  deal based around potential output (WBTV’s Greg Berlanti deal involved buying out the back-end for nearly a dozen series already on the air). Reach is also believed to be behind Netflix’s deal with Barack Obama, who is rumored to have turned down higher offers from competing networks because he wanted to maximize his social impact.

It’s not just former presidents who are attracted to Netflix’s sizable audience. Netflix’s attempt to corner the market in stand-up comedy is buoyed by the exposure it affords comics. Ali Wong recently told Fortune that while she was previously unable to fill a venue in San Francisco, she’s now selling “out within 30 seconds” thanks to Netflix. Networks have always raised a comedian’s profile, but never to this degree and at such volume. And HBO, the previous leader in premium stand-up, admitted in 2017 that the prices Netflix was paying had largely forced the company to pull out of the category.

What I’ve described above is a positive feedback loop (or “flywheel”) – one that’s distinct from the competitive dynamics of traditional television, and helps to smother competition (Netflix’s investment strategy is predicated upon squeezing many of its competitors out of the industry). Consumers only need additional à la carte services if the service they’re already using isn’t good enough. And given there’s no ceiling to how much content these digital services can provide, and many reasons to crank out ever more, viewing time inevitably concentrates. This is why many people believe only a few D2C platforms will be viable over the long run (and the top one or two platforms will capture almost all of the value). While this theory is in stark contrast to the communitarian dynamic of pay-TV (which supports dozens of Big Media companies on a relative equal basis), it adheres closely to the outcomes and dynamics exhibited in most consumer digital markets (e.g. social networking, ride sharing, smartphones, search, online advertising).

This “(a few) winners take most” dynamic has also transformed HBO’s competitor set. There has never been evidence that any of the big three premium cable networks (HBO, Showtime, Starz) cannibalized one another. In fact, their individual successes tended to lift the premium cable bundle overall. But in the new digital, à la carte world, each of these networks is determined to be one of the few enduring digital platforms. As a result, they – and others such as CBS All Access – are ramping up their original programming, growing marketing spend and rapidly expanding abroad (and on a D2C basis). Those that do so successfully will compress the success of the others.

And then there are the digital players. In each of 2016, 2017 and 2018, Netflix grew its content spend by HBO’s entire budget. While the network’s average quality might lag that of HBO, volume and spend compensates for a lot (the two networks had roughly the same number of Emmy nominations in 2018, and Netflix had four Outstanding Series nominees to HBO’s five). And while many of HBO’s newest competitors (e.g. Amazon, Apple) have different business models, they compete for the same finite supply of potential series, consumer spend and consumer attention. Apple, which has yet to launch its video offering, looks to be pursuing HBO’s content model – a dozen or so annual releases of highly differentiated, high quality programming – except that the shows are likely to be given away for free to the company’s 1B+ active users. One can debate whether the need to generate a direct profit in video is a strategic advantage or cost, but not whether this will affect HBO both directly and indirectly. To defend against these challenges, HBO needs to fuel every component of its flywheel.

  The War of Would-Be Usurpers (and Its Many Battles)

As any Maester would tell you, the fate of any war’s victor is to await the next one. By almost every measure, HBO has won the past two decades of cable television (thus covering both its ascendance and peak). But the future of media looks very different than its past. And while the company’s profits, B2B and B2C brands, internal development capability, and market-leading content catalog will endure for years to come, HBO will need to change and adapt.

Many envision (or expect, or fear) this means HBO will need to replicate Netflix. It shouldn’t and doesn’t have to. There can be a bigger, stronger and better version of the HBO we enjoy today. And in the second part of this two-part series, we’ll detail a six point plan to get it there.

You can reach Matthew Ball at mb.ball@gmail.com or @ballmatthew. 

via REDEF ORIGINAL: Why HBO Needs to Grow (The Future of HBO, Pt. I)

[sualkmedeiors]

4 Everyday Examples of Machine Learning and How Marketers Can Use Them

Picture this: You’re scrolling through Facebook for the tenth time one day when, all of a sudden, you see an ad. It shouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary, but when the ad displays the exact band tee you found yourself googling earlier that morning, you can’t help but wonder, “how does it do that?”

Machine learning is the science of enabling computers to learn without being explicitly programmed. It has been developing for years and in some instances, so subtly, that we didn’t even notice. Social media is a prime example. We want to see ads for new things to buy or do, but we don’t want those ads to be different from our normal habits. More importantly, we certainly don’t want ads to interfere with our scrolling experience. Examples of machine learning created in the past decade can range from something we interact with all the time to things that once seemed unattainable.

Here are four examples of machine learning that you see every day and may not have noticed were even there.

1.    Browsing History

Yes, the stories are true: Google always knows what you’re doing. No matter the website or the time of day, everything you browse is seen and remembered. The important thing to remember about Google’s machine learning engine is that it is learning your preferences to better tailor your experience. While the idea that the internet is browsing YOU just as much as you browse IT can be  intimidating, Google has determined that users are looking for the most optimized experience possible, and what better way to do so than through machine learning?

Recommendations from retailers you’ve interacted with in the past are just one of the many ways that Google can optimize your experience. Image searches that are combed and classified just for you have been around since Google’s dawn. Every time you open up your YouTube homepage and see a video you may like, it is machine learning at work. Just about everything you do online is a way for companies to get to know you better, and our online interactions are truly all the better because of it.

As marketers, while it may seem obvious, it’s vital to use these search preferences to create better targeted ads. Search data can be one of the best tools in a marketer’s tool belt, and like they always say, “waste not, want not.” Don’t ignore this data, as you may find some of your most interested potential customers have been reading articles about your product or service, just waiting for you to reach out.

2.    Siri and Cortana

I live about a half hour away from the Marketo office. Every morning, I stop at the drive-through Starbucks, I grab a bagel from Einstein’s, and then I park my car next-door to the office. The other day, I got in my car, and I noticed that Siri had left a message for me on my home screen. She wanted to let me know that it was going to take me 11 minutes to get to Starbucks and 13 to Einstein’s. Further than that, she was able to tell me how long it would take me to get to the parking lot if I decided to skip breakfast that morning. That might sound terrifying to someone who didn’t know that Siri was learning about them this whole time, but the progress that Siri and Cortana have made in the past few years is incredible.

Siri and Cortana use machine learning to understand how to mimic human interactions. When you say, “Hey Siri,” to your phone, she can identify that phrase under almost any circumstance. As they continue to learn and grow, the two apps will someday be able to understand the simple nuances of just about every language.

Interestingly, Forbes suggests that marketers should be more strategic with how they interact with search engines since the introduction of Siri and Cortana. Brands need to be willing to re-work their keyword strategies more conversationally, adjusting to how someone would communicate with their voice-activated friend. As these programs continue to get “smarter,” marketers need to be more and more creative with their solutions.

3.    Facebook and Other Socials

Gone are the days of manually tagging your friends in your social media posts. The tedious task of typing in names to search for the correct friend disappeared when Facebook’s abilities extended into facial recognition. If you go to a baseball game with a group of ten and post a picture, Facebook can scroll through your contacts, match them to the corresponding profile photo, and tag them in the photo without missing a beat. Facial recognition is just one of the amazing ways that social media is using machine learning to improve our experience as users.

Think about even your most simple and basic interactions with social media: memes. Memes sweeping the internet today involves machine learning at its most basic form. When it first began, Botnik studios trained predictive keyboards to learn the typical storyline in a Harry Potter chapter and asked them to write a new one. Since then, the concept has exploded all over social media. The user has a bot watch over 1,000 hours of a movie or a TV show and then write a script of its own, like an episode of Bob Ross’ painting show. While this can be a fun game for us, and something about it feels a bit “off,” it shows you just how powerful machine learning really is and how much smarter computers will get as time goes on.

Marketers should be willing to harness the power of social media, and participating in these fun trends can be a great way to both showcase what your brand does and get people talking. You might not get a whole slew of new customers from participating in meme-ing trends, but you definitely will get some online attention and be labeled as “lit”. That’s internet speak, right?

4.    TV and Music

Who hasn’t found themselves aimlessly scrolling through Netflix for a new series to watch? Similar to YouTube, Netflix learns what you enjoy and recommends similar titles, and really knows you better than a lot of companies can claim. If you’re a fan of the popular show The Big Bang Theory, you might find that Netflix would recommend similar sitcoms or even scientific documentaries that you might find interesting. More often than not, the suggestions will be spot-on, and you’ll find yourself immersed in the Netflix binge-watching experience.

Beyond just watching movies, listening to music requires a lot of machine learning to enhance the experience. If I’m listening to the High School Musical soundtrack for the third time in one week, I might find Spotify suggesting other Disney songs that I might like. They might even go as far as creating a playlist for me that includes a daily mix of pop music and musicals. Spotify uses machine learning algorithms to analyze your activity and music taste, curating more specific content, just for you.

Marketers should be aware of what Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify are doing right. Dynamic content suggestions are all about building a “profile” of sorts for the customer. Different versions of a site that change depending on who’s viewing the site at any given time are a great way to keep your customer at the center of everything you do. Getting to know your customer is the best thing you can do for them and they will thank you for it in the long run.

Before you panic, leave the internet forever, and wipe your hard-drive, you should remember what amazing advances in technology machine learning has given us and will give us in the future. We probably will see more precise recommendations online, leading to fewer inaccuracies and a more immersive experience. We definitely will see computers getting better at talking like humans, able to communicate seamlessly with us. Even the most complex and crazy of technologies like self-driving cars are powered by machine learning, so as we move into the future, the experience is only going to get more and more exciting.

How do you feel when you see an advertisement tailored specifically to you? How has machine learning enhanced your online experience? Let us know in the comments!

The post 4 Everyday Examples of Machine Learning and How Marketers Can Use Them appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from https://blog.marketo.com/2018/08/4-everyday-examples-of-machine-learning-and-how-marketers-can-use-them.html

[archiebwoollard]

4 Everyday Examples of Machine Learning and How Marketers Can Use Them

Picture this: You’re scrolling through Facebook for the tenth time one day when, all of a sudden, you see an ad. It shouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary, but when the ad displays the exact band tee you found yourself googling earlier that morning, you can’t help but wonder, “how does it do that?”

Machine learning is the science of enabling computers to learn without being explicitly programmed. It has been developing for years and in some instances, so subtly, that we didn’t even notice. Social media is a prime example. We want to see ads for new things to buy or do, but we don’t want those ads to be different from our normal habits. More importantly, we certainly don’t want ads to interfere with our scrolling experience. Examples of machine learning created in the past decade can range from something we interact with all the time to things that once seemed unattainable.

Here are four examples of machine learning that you see every day and may not have noticed were even there.

1.    Browsing History

Yes, the stories are true: Google always knows what you’re doing. No matter the website or the time of day, everything you browse is seen and remembered. The important thing to remember about Google’s machine learning engine is that it is learning your preferences to better tailor your experience. While the idea that the internet is browsing YOU just as much as you browse IT can be  intimidating, Google has determined that users are looking for the most optimized experience possible, and what better way to do so than through machine learning?

Recommendations from retailers you’ve interacted with in the past are just one of the many ways that Google can optimize your experience. Image searches that are combed and classified just for you have been around since Google’s dawn. Every time you open up your YouTube homepage and see a video you may like, it is machine learning at work. Just about everything you do online is a way for companies to get to know you better, and our online interactions are truly all the better because of it.

As marketers, while it may seem obvious, it’s vital to use these search preferences to create better targeted ads. Search data can be one of the best tools in a marketer’s tool belt, and like they always say, “waste not, want not.” Don’t ignore this data, as you may find some of your most interested potential customers have been reading articles about your product or service, just waiting for you to reach out.

2.    Siri and Cortana

I live about a half hour away from the Marketo office. Every morning, I stop at the drive-through Starbucks, I grab a bagel from Einstein’s, and then I park my car next-door to the office. The other day, I got in my car, and I noticed that Siri had left a message for me on my home screen. She wanted to let me know that it was going to take me 11 minutes to get to Starbucks and 13 to Einstein’s. Further than that, she was able to tell me how long it would take me to get to the parking lot if I decided to skip breakfast that morning. That might sound terrifying to someone who didn’t know that Siri was learning about them this whole time, but the progress that Siri and Cortana have made in the past few years is incredible.

Siri and Cortana use machine learning to understand how to mimic human interactions. When you say, “Hey Siri,” to your phone, she can identify that phrase under almost any circumstance. As they continue to learn and grow, the two apps will someday be able to understand the simple nuances of just about every language.

Interestingly, Forbes suggests that marketers should be more strategic with how they interact with search engines since the introduction of Siri and Cortana. Brands need to be willing to re-work their keyword strategies more conversationally, adjusting to how someone would communicate with their voice-activated friend. As these programs continue to get “smarter,” marketers need to be more and more creative with their solutions.

3.    Facebook and Other Socials

Gone are the days of manually tagging your friends in your social media posts. The tedious task of typing in names to search for the correct friend disappeared when Facebook’s abilities extended into facial recognition. If you go to a baseball game with a group of ten and post a picture, Facebook can scroll through your contacts, match them to the corresponding profile photo, and tag them in the photo without missing a beat. Facial recognition is just one of the amazing ways that social media is using machine learning to improve our experience as users.

Think about even your most simple and basic interactions with social media: memes. Memes sweeping the internet today involves machine learning at its most basic form. When it first began, Botnik studios trained predictive keyboards to learn the typical storyline in a Harry Potter chapter and asked them to write a new one. Since then, the concept has exploded all over social media. The user has a bot watch over 1,000 hours of a movie or a TV show and then write a script of its own, like an episode of Bob Ross’ painting show. While this can be a fun game for us, and something about it feels a bit “off,” it shows you just how powerful machine learning really is and how much smarter computers will get as time goes on.

Marketers should be willing to harness the power of social media, and participating in these fun trends can be a great way to both showcase what your brand does and get people talking. You might not get a whole slew of new customers from participating in meme-ing trends, but you definitely will get some online attention and be labeled as “lit”. That’s internet speak, right?

4.    TV and Music

Who hasn’t found themselves aimlessly scrolling through Netflix for a new series to watch? Similar to YouTube, Netflix learns what you enjoy and recommends similar titles, and really knows you better than a lot of companies can claim. If you’re a fan of the popular show The Big Bang Theory, you might find that Netflix would recommend similar sitcoms or even scientific documentaries that you might find interesting. More often than not, the suggestions will be spot-on, and you’ll find yourself immersed in the Netflix binge-watching experience.

Beyond just watching movies, listening to music requires a lot of machine learning to enhance the experience. If I’m listening to the High School Musical soundtrack for the third time in one week, I might find Spotify suggesting other Disney songs that I might like. They might even go as far as creating a playlist for me that includes a daily mix of pop music and musicals. Spotify uses machine learning algorithms to analyze your activity and music taste, curating more specific content, just for you.

Marketers should be aware of what Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify are doing right. Dynamic content suggestions are all about building a “profile” of sorts for the customer. Different versions of a site that change depending on who’s viewing the site at any given time are a great way to keep your customer at the center of everything you do. Getting to know your customer is the best thing you can do for them and they will thank you for it in the long run.

Before you panic, leave the internet forever, and wipe your hard-drive, you should remember what amazing advances in technology machine learning has given us and will give us in the future. We probably will see more precise recommendations online, leading to fewer inaccuracies and a more immersive experience. We definitely will see computers getting better at talking like humans, able to communicate seamlessly with us. Even the most complex and crazy of technologies like self-driving cars are powered by machine learning, so as we move into the future, the experience is only going to get more and more exciting.

How do you feel when you see an advertisement tailored specifically to you? How has machine learning enhanced your online experience? Let us know in the comments!

The post 4 Everyday Examples of Machine Learning and How Marketers Can Use Them appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8217493 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/modernb2bmarketing/~3/ZUwqbM6VZ80/4-everyday-examples-of-machine-learning-and-how-marketers-can-use-them.html

[racheltgibsau]

4 Everyday Examples of Machine Learning and How Marketers Can Use Them

Picture this: You’re scrolling through Facebook for the tenth time one day when, all of a sudden, you see an ad. It shouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary, but when the ad displays the exact band tee you found yourself googling earlier that morning, you can’t help but wonder, “how does it do that?”

Machine learning is the science of enabling computers to learn without being explicitly programmed. It has been developing for years and in some instances, so subtly, that we didn’t even notice. Social media is a prime example. We want to see ads for new things to buy or do, but we don’t want those ads to be different from our normal habits. More importantly, we certainly don’t want ads to interfere with our scrolling experience. Examples of machine learning created in the past decade can range from something we interact with all the time to things that once seemed unattainable.

Here are four examples of machine learning that you see every day and may not have noticed were even there.

1.    Browsing History

Yes, the stories are true: Google always knows what you’re doing. No matter the website or the time of day, everything you browse is seen and remembered. The important thing to remember about Google’s machine learning engine is that it is learning your preferences to better tailor your experience. While the idea that the internet is browsing YOU just as much as you browse IT can be  intimidating, Google has determined that users are looking for the most optimized experience possible, and what better way to do so than through machine learning?

Recommendations from retailers you’ve interacted with in the past are just one of the many ways that Google can optimize your experience. Image searches that are combed and classified just for you have been around since Google’s dawn. Every time you open up your YouTube homepage and see a video you may like, it is machine learning at work. Just about everything you do online is a way for companies to get to know you better, and our online interactions are truly all the better because of it.

As marketers, while it may seem obvious, it’s vital to use these search preferences to create better targeted ads. Search data can be one of the best tools in a marketer’s tool belt, and like they always say, “waste not, want not.” Don’t ignore this data, as you may find some of your most interested potential customers have been reading articles about your product or service, just waiting for you to reach out.

2.    Siri and Cortana

I live about a half hour away from the Marketo office. Every morning, I stop at the drive-through Starbucks, I grab a bagel from Einstein’s, and then I park my car next-door to the office. The other day, I got in my car, and I noticed that Siri had left a message for me on my home screen. She wanted to let me know that it was going to take me 11 minutes to get to Starbucks and 13 to Einstein’s. Further than that, she was able to tell me how long it would take me to get to the parking lot if I decided to skip breakfast that morning. That might sound terrifying to someone who didn’t know that Siri was learning about them this whole time, but the progress that Siri and Cortana have made in the past few years is incredible.

Siri and Cortana use machine learning to understand how to mimic human interactions. When you say, “Hey Siri,” to your phone, she can identify that phrase under almost any circumstance. As they continue to learn and grow, the two apps will someday be able to understand the simple nuances of just about every language.

Interestingly, Forbes suggests that marketers should be more strategic with how they interact with search engines since the introduction of Siri and Cortana. Brands need to be willing to re-work their keyword strategies more conversationally, adjusting to how someone would communicate with their voice-activated friend. As these programs continue to get “smarter,” marketers need to be more and more creative with their solutions.

3.    Facebook and Other Socials

Gone are the days of manually tagging your friends in your social media posts. The tedious task of typing in names to search for the correct friend disappeared when Facebook’s abilities extended into facial recognition. If you go to a baseball game with a group of ten and post a picture, Facebook can scroll through your contacts, match them to the corresponding profile photo, and tag them in the photo without missing a beat. Facial recognition is just one of the amazing ways that social media is using machine learning to improve our experience as users.

Think about even your most simple and basic interactions with social media: memes. Memes sweeping the internet today involves machine learning at its most basic form. When it first began, Botnik studios trained predictive keyboards to learn the typical storyline in a Harry Potter chapter and asked them to write a new one. Since then, the concept has exploded all over social media. The user has a bot watch over 1,000 hours of a movie or a TV show and then write a script of its own, like an episode of Bob Ross’ painting show. While this can be a fun game for us, and something about it feels a bit “off,” it shows you just how powerful machine learning really is and how much smarter computers will get as time goes on.

Marketers should be willing to harness the power of social media, and participating in these fun trends can be a great way to both showcase what your brand does and get people talking. You might not get a whole slew of new customers from participating in meme-ing trends, but you definitely will get some online attention and be labeled as “lit”. That’s internet speak, right?

4.    TV and Music

Who hasn’t found themselves aimlessly scrolling through Netflix for a new series to watch? Similar to YouTube, Netflix learns what you enjoy and recommends similar titles, and really knows you better than a lot of companies can claim. If you’re a fan of the popular show The Big Bang Theory, you might find that Netflix would recommend similar sitcoms or even scientific documentaries that you might find interesting. More often than not, the suggestions will be spot-on, and you’ll find yourself immersed in the Netflix binge-watching experience.

Beyond just watching movies, listening to music requires a lot of machine learning to enhance the experience. If I’m listening to the High School Musical soundtrack for the third time in one week, I might find Spotify suggesting other Disney songs that I might like. They might even go as far as creating a playlist for me that includes a daily mix of pop music and musicals. Spotify uses machine learning algorithms to analyze your activity and music taste, curating more specific content, just for you.

Marketers should be aware of what Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify are doing right. Dynamic content suggestions are all about building a “profile” of sorts for the customer. Different versions of a site that change depending on who’s viewing the site at any given time are a great way to keep your customer at the center of everything you do. Getting to know your customer is the best thing you can do for them and they will thank you for it in the long run.

Before you panic, leave the internet forever, and wipe your hard-drive, you should remember what amazing advances in technology machine learning has given us and will give us in the future. We probably will see more precise recommendations online, leading to fewer inaccuracies and a more immersive experience. We definitely will see computers getting better at talking like humans, able to communicate seamlessly with us. Even the most complex and crazy of technologies like self-driving cars are powered by machine learning, so as we move into the future, the experience is only going to get more and more exciting.

How do you feel when you see an advertisement tailored specifically to you? How has machine learning enhanced your online experience? Let us know in the comments!

The post 4 Everyday Examples of Machine Learning and How Marketers Can Use Them appeared first on Marketo Marketing Blog - Best Practices and Thought Leadership.

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