Background
A global subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform sought to refine its strategy for engaging audiences and driving growth in key markets. With a strong reputation for premium storytelling, high production values, and a selective slate of original content, this platform aimed to maximize the impact of its investments while aligning its approach with the brand's ethos of innovation and quality.
Challenge
The client’s leadership team identified several priority areas:
Identifying Whitespace Opportunities: The platform needed a systematic approach to pinpoint emerging genres and underserved market segments - especially beyond the US - to guide future content investments and support global growth.
Optimizing Promotional Timing: Determining the most effective windows for launching trailers and promotional campaigns was crucial, given the wide range of content (both series and films) slated for release.
Maximizing Pay Windows After Theatrical Release: With select titles debuting theatrically, the platform needed insights into how long to keep films in theaters, when to offer them on transactional video-on-demand (TVOD), and the optimal point to shift them to SVOD in order to maximize profitability.
Global Strategy Alignment: As part of a larger corporate ecosystem, the platform had to harmonize local market strategies with the parent company’s global brand identity, ensuring a consistent yet adaptable approach across regions.
Solution
Leveraging Parrot Analytics’ global entertainment analytics platform, a bespoke solution was developed to address each challenge:
Whitespace Opportunity Analysis
Conducted a thorough review of audience demand across over 100 markets to uncover underrepresented genres and potential gaps in the platform’s catalog, informing content acquisition strategies for the platform. For example, the team identified significant growth in the global demand for Korean-language TV content, which increased from 3.0% in Q1 2020 to 3.3% in Q1 2023.
Recommendations aligned with the parent company’s core values of innovation and premium storytelling, ensuring any content additions upheld brand consistency.
Timing Optimization for Promotional Campaigns
Analyzed audience behavior and platform usage patterns to determine the most effective windows for launching trailers and marketing materials.
Delivered insights on how varying lead times (e.g. teasers vs. final trailers) influenced audience awareness and engagement in different regions.
Theatrical-to-SVOD Release Strategy
Provided data-driven recommendations on optimizing theatrical runs, pay windows (TVOD), and SVOD launch timing.
Addressed the balance between box-office revenue, early audience demand and the potential for attracting new subscribers once content debuted on the platform.
Comprehensive Content and Marketing Roadmap
Synthesized global market insights into actionable strategies for content production, acquisition and promotion.
Included guidelines for tailoring campaigns to specific audience segments while still leveraging the platform’s position as part of the company’s larger customer ecosystem.
Impact
Using Parrot Analytics’ proprietary global demand metrics, the SVOD platform successfully identified whitespace opportunities, fine-tuned release strategies, and improved marketing effectiveness - all while adhering to the company’s hallmark of innovation and premium storytelling. The outcomes included a more targeted content slate, better retention of subscribers, and a more cohesive global approach.
By applying Parrot Analytics’ tailored analytics and strategic recommendations, the platform achieved the following outcomes:
Refined Global Platform Growth Strategy
Identified key market opportunities outside the US, leading to more focused content investments and better alignment of new titles with audience demand in emerging regions.
Enhanced Trailer & Promotional Effectiveness
Developed more precise trailer strategies for both TV series and films, resulting in improved audience engagement and stronger anticipation for upcoming releases.
Gained clearer insights into how lead time and localized marketing approaches could be fine-tuned to drive viewership.
Optimized Windowing for Theatrical Releases
Established best practices on how long films should remain in theaters, the right moment to offer TVOD, and the optimal point to transition content to SVOD.
Enabled decision-makers to balance theatrical revenue, on-demand revenue, and SVOD acquisition goals more effectively.
Strategic Alignment Across Global Ecosystem
Harmonized local and global strategies, utilizing the parent company’s infrastructure to support broader brand goals.
Created consistent yet regionally relevant marketing campaigns that strengthened audience loyalty and visibility.
This case study underscores how data-driven insights and strategic planning can empower entertainment platforms to navigate the complexities of theatrical windows, promotional timing, and audience engagement in an increasingly competitive market, ultimately driving sustainable growth and deeper viewer satisfaction.
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