On this episode of Inside Content, I am joined by David Salmon, Managing Director of Tubi’s international business.
In July 2024,Tubi launched their AVOD streaming platform in the UK with over 20,000 titles, following a successful model in other regions. While in other markets their offerings include FAST, in the UK they have opted for an exclusively on-demand offering initially. The service will evolve and adapt to react to the way in which their audience engages with the platform.
“Every month we tend to find that there are slightly new patterns emerging, and that's something we'd continue to expect to see, especially over this first year of being in market, where we start to really find our audience.” –David Salmon
Although it is still early days for the service in the UK, they have seen great engagement with the content and are growing steadily, recently surpassing the 30,000-title mark, including seasonal offerings such as those included in the “Terror on Tubi” carousel, a Halloween-special selection of horror films.
We also discuss the reliability of blockbuster films to always deliver, as well as the new trends that can be observed, such as an interest in“Newstalgia” content, which refers to older titles that people are just now discovering for the first time and devoting their attention to, such as BadGirls Club in the US or Skins in the UK.
Additionally, David emphasises the importance of effective content personalisation. Using a dedicated machine learning team, Tubi tailors the experience to each user.Everyone’s home page differs to showcase a curated selection of content, reflecting their individual preferences. Additionally, they ensure to keep abroad content library that allows for everyone to find something that appealsto them on the platform.
On this episode we also discuss industry trends as well as predictions for the next 18 to 24months. We dive into how the relationships between different platforms and their audiences are expected to change and evolve to reflect the general sentiment.
Topics discussed:
· Introduction toDavid Salmon and Tubi: Overview of Salmon's role as Managing Director of Tubi's international business and his background.
· UK Launch:Insights into the recent launch in July, challenges faced, and initial reception.
· Content CatalogueGrowth: Starting with 20,000 titles and quickly expanding to over 30,000 films and TV episodes.
· ViewerPreferences: Discussion of high-performing titles, including blockbusters and nostalgic series.
· Content Personalisation: Emphasis on Tubi's machine learning capabilities to tailor user experiences.
· Brand AwarenessStrategies: Plans to replicate North American success through effective marketing and engagement.
· Local vs. GlobalContent: Commitment to a mix of local programming and international hits, including upcoming titles.
· MarketCompetition: Positioning Tubi as a complementary service to established UK platforms.
· Future ContentPlans: Potential introduction of live linear options and focus on serving diverse audience interests.
· Data andMeasurement Trends: Expectations for increased standardisation in viewing metrics and data sharing across platforms.
· Summary of Tubi's strategy for growth in the UK market and its vision for the future.
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