Success stories (U24:D1)
Learning Outcome 1 (U24): Understand the products that are produced within and across media industries.
D1 (U24): Discuss how successful media concepts have been positively exploited across multiple media industries
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription streaming service and production company. It was introduced in 1997, and offers a variation of different films and television series through distribution deals, as well as its own productions referred to as Netflix Originals. Netflix is available for streaming in over 190 countries. The variation of films and TV series that it offers differs according to country, and will often change from time to time. Some of these countries include the USA, UK, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, and France. However, it is not accessible in Russia, China, Syria, North Korea, and Crimea. Netflix is paid as a monthly subscription, and depending on the plan, the price can range from £6.99 to £15.99. The basic package is £6.99, the standard package is £10.99, and the premium package is £15.99. The basic package allows for only one number of screens to watch content at once, and only one device one can have downloads on. The standard package allows 2 number of screens to access content at the same time, and 2 devices can have downloads on. The premium package allows 4 number of screens to access content at the sane time, and 4 devices that can have downloads on.
Content and audiences
There is content available that targets a wide range of different people, including people of different gender, race and ethnicity. This is so that it appeals to a mass audience, rather than a niche audience. There are a variety of different genres, which make this possible. This includes action and adventure, anime, children and family, classic, comedies, documentaries, dramas, horror, music, romantic, sci-fi and fantasy, sports, thrillers, and TV series.
They offer such a wide range of content because peoples tastes are very broad, even in a single market. Therefore, Netflix aim to provide content that the majority of people will love.
To emphasise this idea, there is a section on Netflix titled 'Top picks for...' that, based on your watching history, consists of different films and television series that they believe the will enjoy. As well as this, everyone time one watched a film or television series, they recommend content that are similar to specific ones one has watched before. They also created an algorithm using member ratings to predict how much a member would like a movie. They give a percentage, 0% being it is not likely that they will be interested in the content, and 100% meaning that is it likely they will enjoy and be interested in the content. Such personalisation features allows each subscriber to have a personalised Netflix experience, adapting and expanding their interests over time.
Trends
This graph suggests that Netflix subscribers have only increased from 2014.
They are appealing because they are scalable. Netflix allows consumers to choose the features and functions they want to pay for. Consumers can effectively pay for the content they want to watch and avoid paying for programs and services they do not want or need. As well as this, throughout the years there has been an increased demand for tablets and smartphones. This is because on is able to stream films and television series outside of their home and on their commutes, for example.
It also suggests that between the end of 2020 and 2021, the subscription rates have remained steady, and have barely increased. This could be because of the other streaming services that have been introduced, such as amazon prime more recently. When one purchases Amazon Prime delivery, they get access to Amazon Prime which provides audiences with a range of television programmes and films. As the pandemic meant that many people unfortunately lost their jobs, they perhaps no longer had the disposable income to access it.
This research suggests that due to the pandemic, there has been an increased interest in Netflix. As, at one point, nobody was even allowed to leave their homes, people became reliant on streaming services, such as Netflix, to provide them with entertainment.
As well as this, children were not able to go to school, which effects young children especially who are going through the process of socialisation. Netflix kids can provide children with educational films and television series that will reduce the chances of them suffering intellectually.
It also supports one of the above points, as the interest in Disney+ has also increased, significantly more than Netflix.
Accessibility
Netflix can be accessed on a variety of different devices. This includes smart televisions, PC's, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and game consoles.
Netflix chose these platforms so that a variety of different audiences can access it. Although research suggests that it is mainly viewed on televisions, it being available on other devices, such as smartphones and tablets, means that they can be watched outside of the home, and on their commutes. For example, one is able to download a film and watch it on the train on their way to work. It is also accessible on gaming consoles. They have recently revealed that they are going to start producing video games, and therefore, they will be easily accessed through these gaming consoles.
This graph suggests that Netflix is mainly watched on televisions. This is because televisions are typically a device that is used when watching films and television programmes. As it does not consist of advertisements, it is more appealing to audiences, as advertisements can usually frustrate audiences. Smart televisions have also been introduced, in which Netflix can be accessed instantly. It has its own channel on the television. As well as this, remote controls of these televisions have a Netflix button. This suggests that Netflix has successfully transitioned from a mail ordered DVD service to delivering content directly to consumers on the internet, through a range of different devices. People can also connect their devices, such as a smartphone, to the television which means that they can watch it on a bigger screen.
Advertising
One digital method of advertising that Netflix use is social media. This helps Netflix to build a relationship with its followers and audiences. For example, Netflix have an Instagram account in which they post trailers of the content they are producing, known as 'Netflix originals'. They also post polls on their Instagram story which allows followers to interact and engage with the brand. The highlights section also means that new followers can access the content they have previously posted, such as new television series and films they have provided audiences with. This targets younger people, as they are those who are most likely to have an active Instagram account. As well as this, Netflix have a twitter account in which they post witty replies to audiences queries and engage them in conversations to help them feel as though they are talking to a friend. Such a strategy increases the shares and the likes of the tweets they produce. This is therefore likely to feature on the trending page, in which people who do not follow Netflix already are likely to come across it. This increases the brands recognition. Twitter has to been found to target 25-34 year olds, according to Statista. Netflix also have a YouTube channel in which they publish trailers for the original content they have produced. This means that even those who do not have Netflix can see the kind of content it provides for audiences. This targets young people, as they are the age demographic that are most likely to have a range of social media accounts that they use frequently. For example, YouTube is known for targeting hard-to-reach millennials.
A traditional and above-the-line method of advertising Netflix use are billboards. One reason as to why they would have advertised their product on billboards is because they are not targeting a specific, niche audience, they are targeting a mass audience and therefore want to gain mass exposure. As well as this, as Netflix targets a wide age group, it will appeal and reach those, particularly in the older demographic who do not use social media, as this can be one of the only ways that they can access the advertisement. As it is placed throughout cities, consumers are likely to see it on their commutes.
Traditional methods, such as billboards, are able to be in enhanced by digital methods, such as social media, specifically Instagram. This is because the Netflix Instagram account can post these billboards.
One other form of advertising they use is celebrity endorsement. Celebrity endorsement is where a celebrities fame or social status to promote a product. One way in which they did this is through creating a Netflix original documentary based on Ariana Grande, called 'Excuse me, I love you'. This is usually useful because as celebrities, such as Ariana Grande, can carry a nature of good will, they can confer legitimacy to anything associated with them, such as Netflix. Therefore, it targets those that are loyal fans of the celebrity involved in this endorsement. As in this example, Ariana Grande has such a wide fan base and mass following on social media, it is likely that a lot more people will subscribe to Netflix in order to watch this original and exclusive documentary.
Reaching audiences
They provide such a wide range of content in order to entertain the world. This is because audiences are able to control what they watch, when they want to watch it, with no adverts. The content it provides targets both boys and girls. This is because they reinforce content that is traditionally linked to their hobbies. For example, there are documentaries related to football and football players that are stereotypically appealing to boys, and then there are documentaries that are based on the beauty and makeup industry, which are stereotypically appealing to girls. They also have an LGBTQ+ section that provides audiences with content that includes the diversity among the LGBTQ+ community. As well as such content giving audiences that are part of the community something to identify with, and make them feel included, it also allows one to gain knowledge and a greater understanding of the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to this, it targets a range of different races and ethnicities. This is because it provides content that usually includes a diverse cast. For example, there is a Black Lives Matter section that consists of a range of different films, series, and documentaries focused on racial injustice and an insight into a black persons experience. Alongside this, as referenced before there are a variety of different countries around the world that are able to access Netflix, reinforcing globalisation. They also target a variety of different ages, although their main target is those aged 25-34 year olds. This is possibly because they are more likely to have the disposable income in which they can keep up the monthly subscription. Netflix also targets people within the older demographic. One way in which this is done is through providing a large range of documentaries, and class films or television programmes, that are typically appealing to older people. They also target young children through creating the children's experience, Netflix Kids.This feature is included in your membership to give parents control over what content their children are exposed to, while children enjoy family friendly TV series and films in an separate space. Children profiles come with PIN-protected parental controls that allow parents to select the age rating that they want the content their children are watching to be associated with, and can block specific content they do not want their children to see.
In conclusion, Netflix has successfully been adapted into different media forms, to reach different audiences. It has done this by allowing audiences to sign up and access Netflix on a variety of different devices, which increases choice. In addition to this, the content that it provides reaches a mass audience, as it has created specialised sections that consists of niche content.
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