23.12.06 + Perspectives

Have streaming channels given up on aspirational branding?

As TV entertainment channels have shifted from being desirable to essential, the sector’s branding has gone mainstream too, losing its cultural edge in the process. Director of Creative Strategy Mika Saulitis, this week in Creative Review.

"Branding in the entertainment and media space feels noticeably more practical and utilitarian, with an underlying promise of ‘something for everyone’ permeating SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) and AVOD (Advertising-based Video on Demand) services alike."

–Mika Saulitis

"The shift from aspirational to functional is perhaps best illustrated in the evolution of HBO Max to Max," writes Saulitis. What accounts for this trend, which we can see across services from Netflix to Paramount Plus? Streaming services once competed for the status of "premium", but now – in their ubiquity, and amidst the cost of living crisis – must justify themselves as a must-have. Read the full article here.