Tag: Streaming

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Streaming platform sooka, alongside Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), have announced a unique Ramadan campaign designed to address the increased social media consumption and fasting challenges faced during the holy month.

Recognising the shift in viewing habits and the prevalence of “doomscrolling” during Ramadan, the sooka Ramadan – Buat Puasa Tak Terasa (ease your fasting struggles) campaign aims to offer a refreshing alternative: engaging content on the sooka streaming platform.

Leveraging insights from Google’s YouTube data, the campaign targets key moments throughout the day when people are most likely to be online – before and after Sahur (pre-dawn meal before the fast), lunchtime, before breaking fast, and after Terawih (evening prayers). 

These times are often associated with challenges like oversleeping or the struggle of viewing food content while fasting. The campaign directly addresses these hurdles, positioning sooka as a solution to make the fasting experience more manageable and enjoyable.

Unlike traditional Ramadan advertising focusing on emotional family issues and food-based ads, the campaign tackles the often-overlooked issue of excessive social media consumption. Instead of simply adding to the noise on social platforms, the campaign aims to provide a compelling alternative.

Kevin Le, executive creative director at MBCS, said, “While every other brand is serving ads around typical festive themes, they don’t actually talk about helping people through a difficult fast. We understand that doomscrolling peaks during Ramadan and happens at key times. We see this as the perfect time to explore sooka as a useful distraction. We understand your struggle, and sooka can help you through this.”

He added, “The Ramadan-themed messages and sooka clips are specifically designed to encourage viewers to shift their focus from mindless scrolling to immersive and fulfilling content on sooka. It’s also our first foray into YouTube Shorts, getting our viewers to go from vertical to horizontal viewing. By acknowledging and addressing the unique challenges of Ramadan, we hope to not only help you through your fast but introduce you to a truly valuable service.”

Australia – Nine has been appointed by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) as Max’s exclusive sales partner to commercially maximise its ad-supported Basic With Ads tier. This comes ahead of the streaming platform’s anticipated launch in Australia on March 31.

Leveraging Nine’s cutting-edge technology, Max will play a pivotal role in Nine’s digital video offering for advertisers, represented nationwide by Nine Sales.

With the addition of 9Now and Stan Sport, Nine’s partnership with WBD significantly expands its audience reach across the leading Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) and Broadcast Video On Demand (BVOD) sectors.

Built on Max’s extensive library of premium content, this inventory will be integral to Nine’s high-value revenue strategy, led by Powered (premium integrated sales and strategy). Meanwhile, Nine’s Centre of Digital Excellence (encompassing digital solutions, data, product, and programmatic) will underpin the overall sales approach.

This collaboration enables Nine to provide agencies and clients with seamless and innovative advertising solutions across SVOD and BVOD platforms, ultimately driving stronger business outcomes for advertisers.

Michael Brooks, general manager for ANZ at Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “This is the first time WBD’s premium slate of content has existed in one place in Australia. Launching Max with an ad-supported tier creates a compelling offer for viewers and advertisers alike, while partnering with Nine allows us to tap into their deep experience, strong relationships and proven capabilities.”

Meanwhile, Matt James, acting chief sales officer at Nine, commented, “The combination of Max’s amazing content and world-leading advertising products with Nine’s local expertise, sales infrastructure and scale is a unique opportunity for clients in this country. This relationship with WBD will accelerate our strategy into the digital video market and offer clients better return on investment.”

It is worth noting that WBD recently appointed Foxtel Group as its launch partner for Max in Australia, wherein Max’s expanded content offering will be available to Foxtel’s 1.4m residential subscribers at no additional cost to their Foxtel subscription. It had also recently tapped Special Group and EssenceMediacom for their creative and media mandate respectively–both related to Max’s launch in Australia.

Singapore – A new report from Nexxen has recently highlighted key preferences and habits around advertising platforms and formats-specifically on OTT platforms. In its report, it highlighted that around51% of surveyed consumers in Singapore said they watched content on ad-supported streaming platforms such as meWATCH, Singtel CAST, Viu, iQIYI, WeTV, Tubi TV, and Viddsee multiple times per week. 

Moreover, some 35% indicated that they watched once a day or more. Among the ad-supported content viewers, meWATCH was the most popular streaming platform.

In Singapore, mobile devices lead as the primary platform for consumption at 77%, followed by Smart TVs at 64%, demonstrating a growing demand to consume content across larger screens. Computers and laptops followed at 51%. Tablets, streaming devices and game consoles were also represented, but with fewer users primarily using them for consumption.

Meanwhile free, ad-supported platforms are popular among Singaporean consumers, 60% of whom identify cost as a key factor in their choice of video streaming platform. Nexxen also signalled that ease of use was another leading factor of this choice. 

The report also highlighted that the format and delivery method of ads clearly matters, with the data stating that viewers prefer shorter ads that deliver value without disrupting their experience. This is why 61% of advertisers are already using 6 to 15-second ad formats around content to meet this demand. 

In addition to brevity, the occurrence of the ad relative to the content is also worth noting. When asked which types of ads generally caught their attention when watching ad-supported streaming platforms, 36% of consumers identified pre-roll ads (running before the content starts), and 32% identified mid-roll ads (displayed during the show). Pre-roll ads were identified by 44% of advertisers as being effective. 

Effective personalisation is another important ingredient in increasing the likelihood that ads will be noticed and acted on. Viewers (41%) also indicated this as an area where ads on streaming platforms could improve; they want more personalised ads that are relevant to their interests.

The report also highlighted insights from advertsers, noting that 50% of advertisers are planning to incorporate OTT into their media strategies within the next two years. 

While not all surveyed advertisers are currently using OTT, around 73% of them hold a positive impression of its role in the marketing mix, with more than 25% recognising its potential to outperform traditional media.

Half of surveyed advertisers are already anticipating to benefit from these trends, while the other half are still on the fence, despite generally holding a positive impression of OTT advertising’s capability. 

Lastly, the report observed that 73% of Singapore-based advertisers hold a positive impression of OTT advertising and expect to factor it considerably into their overall marketing mix in the next 2-3 years. Additionally, more than a quarter of advertisers see potential to outperform traditional media in this sector. 

Australia – Foxtel Group and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) have announced an evolved partnership for 2025 and beyond, and will see Foxtel Group become a launch partner as Warner Bros. Discovery brings its Max streaming app to Australia on 31 March, 2025.

As launch partner, Max’s expanded content offering will be available to Foxtel’s 1.4m residential subscribers at no additional cost to their Foxtel subscription. In addition, the Max app will be available on Hubbl, offering easy access with seamless integration into the user interface.

The Max app will include HBO Originals, Max Originals, and premium content from Warner Bros., Discovery, Cartoon Network and more. Content will include key WBD franchises such as Harry Potter and the DC Universe, as well as current and returning seasons of hugely popular series including House of the Dragon, The Last of Us and  And Just Like That…

Moreover, the continued partnership between Foxtel Group and Warner Bros. Discovery recognises the strength of Foxtel Group’s reach, brands and commitment to quality by one of the world’s largest entertainment partners and production studios in showcasing premium content and ability to generate growth in market.

Hilary Perchard, chief executive of Foxtel Retail and Hubbl, said, “This renewed collaboration confirms our position as a partner of choice for the world’s largest entertainment studios who seek scale and reach for their premium entertainment content. We have always said optionality is central to our long-standing partnership. The strength of our products and much-loved brands means that we have been able to innovate and evolve our partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery in a unique model that enables mutual growth.”

Hilary added. “We have been partners with Warner Bros. Discovery for over 20 years and are delighted that our world-class aggregation products will play key roles in launching Max in this market. As launch partner, our Foxtel and Hubbl customers will be able to seamlessly access the breadth of content across the Warner Bros. Discovery content slate, which has always been popular among audiences, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value for our subscribers.”

Meanwhile, Michael Brooks, general manager of ANZ at Warner Bros. Discovery, commented, “Through our long-standing partnership, Australians have enjoyed WBD’s world-class content through Foxtel Group platforms for many years. As we launch the Max app in Australia – and look to maximise its reach through partnerships – it makes perfect sense for us to create a unique option we know will resonate with Foxtel subscribers and Hubbl users.”

The news follows after Warner Bros. Discovery had tapped Special Group and EssenceMediacom for their creative and media mandate respectively–both related to Max’s launch in Australia.

Max has been previously rolled out in Southeast Asia, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan on November 19, 2024. To mark this launch, Max created localised immersive and outdoor activations for all of these markets to showcase their diverse entertainment content offerings.

Singapore – Anime, the popular form of Japanese animation, has generated $19.8b in total global revenue in 2023, including $5.5b from streaming and $14.3b from merchandising sales, according to the latest data from global entertainment analytics firm Parrot Analytics and the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA).

According to the report, anime accounted for 6% of global streaming revenue in 2023. Notably, 41% of anime’s streaming revenue originated from North America, highlighting the region’s strong engagement with the medium. 

Merchandising further amplified its global impact, with North America and Asia leading as the largest contributors to anime’s total revenue. Asia led merchandising revenue with $5.46b, followed by North America at $4.97b, together comprising 73% of global anime merchandise sales.

It is also worth noting that anime drove over $2b in revenue for Netflix globally, demonstrating its importance as a cornerstone of the platform’s content library and accounting for 38% of total anime streaming revenue.

Alejandro Rojas, VP of applied analytics and global head of Parrot IQ at Parrot Analytics, said, “Japan is at the heart of the global entertainment ecosystem, and anime is a clear testament to its creative power. Our expertise in streaming economics, global entertainment analytics, and IP valuation enables Japanese creators to unlock new revenue opportunities and expand their global footprint even further.”

Australia – TCL and NBCUniversal have announced a new agreement that aims to enhance the entertainment options for TCL viewers in selected regions. This deal marks the first partnership between the two companies, and it introduces a range of iconic NBCUniversal TV shows to audiences in Australia and New Zealand via these branded FAST channels.

Viewers in regions such as Australia and New Zealand can now indulge in a selection of beloved classic TV shows on TCL Channel. Fan-favorite reality shows from hit franchises like ‘The Real Housewives,’ ‘Top Chef,’ and ‘Million Dollar Listing,’ as well as early gems like ‘The Lone Ranger’ are also now easily accessible to TCL viewers.

Expressing their excitement for the collaboration, Howie Li, general manager at TCL FFalcon stated, “We are thrilled to partner with NBCUniversal. This marks a starting point, and in the future, we aim to work with NBCUniversal to bring in more content to serve TCL TV users better, while also enhancing our offerings and services for our advertisers.”

Meanwhile, Rob Bell, executive vice president of digital distribution & global content strategy at NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution, commented, “We are delighted to partner with TCL and bring NBCU’s suite of FAST channels, featuring our iconic drama, sci-fi, reality, and animated kids series to TCL’s audiences in Australia, and New Zealand.”

Singapore – Max made its debut across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong with regional activations across seven markets – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

The series of creative and immersive outdoor marketing efforts showcased the streaming service’s rich collection of blockbuster movies, groundbreaking series, iconic hits, best-in-class real-life stories, and family favourites, inviting fans to feel, experience, and become part of the stories, connecting with local audiences through dynamic and culturally relevant campaigns. 

On November 19, Max celebrated its arrival with a spectacular regional light-up moment across all seven markets. Scenes from Warner Bros. Discovery’s beloved brands and franchises, including ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘House of the Dragon,’ ‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ and ‘Barbie’ were projected on prominent buildings and landmarks. 

Moreover, audiences were invited to join in local launch celebrations, where fans in the Philippines explored ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘House of the Dragon’ themed Christmas trees and were treated to a magical Harry Potter Christmas tree light-up countdown by James and Oliver Phelps, followed by an amazing fireworks display. In Thailand, audiences were captivated by a life-size “Krathong” installation during the Loi Krathong Festival, as well as on-ground pop-ups inspired by ‘Barbie,’ ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Friends’ and ‘Harry Potter.’

In Taiwan, pop-ups of iconic Warner Bros. Discovery brands including Game of Thrones and Harry Potter allowed guests to step into the world of their favorite shows. 

Upping the ante, Max also took over prominent train stations, transportation, billboards and building projections across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, transforming daily commutes into Warner Bros. Discovery-inspired journeys.

To connect viewers in Asia with Max, a series of creative social content brought iconic characters from Max’s loved shows into the heart of each market, incorporating characters into Asia’s vibrant culture, where characters ‘react’ to hyperlocal landmarks, dishes and cultural experiences. 

“The extensive launch campaign generated significant excitement, fostered emotional connections, and positioned Max as the region’s newest streaming experience. The campaign has successfully launched Max on an upwards trajectory in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, deeply connecting with local audiences in the region,” the streaming service said in a press statement.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Astro has tapped Talon Creative to give the visually impaired a chance to experience the recently-concluded ‘Dari Mata Turun ke Hati’ drama series using an enhanced streaming experience for them.

Astro and Talon saw an opportunity to reach out to the visually impaired community and provide them with an enhanced streaming experience with the groundbreaking first locally produced Audio Description track for a Malay drama. This track provided verbal descriptors of the show, interwoven with the dialogue, allowing visually impaired viewers to experience the narrative of the show and fully immerse themselves in the content. 

For context, the drama series–a story adapted from Japan and brought closer to local culture–tells a story of Iris Sofea, a visually impaired young woman and Jai, a gangster, portrayed respectively by up and coming Malaysian stars in Arabella Ellen and Mierul Aiman. 

‘Dari Mata Turun Ke Hati’ is the first drama in Malaysia to introduce the Audio Description feature. 

As part of the initiative as well, it also translated into the creation of social media posts that mimicked the visually impaired Iris Sofea’s experience, giving the audience a glimpse into her world, bringing the visually impaired community and general public closer together.

Malaysia is home to some of the best local content, featuring high production quality and impeccable storytelling. Unfortunately, not all Malaysians are able to enjoy these home-grown stories, with over 400,000 Malaysians experiencing visual impairment, with 10-15% experiencing total sight loss.

Tai Kam Leong, chief sales and marketing officer at Astro, said, “As Malaysia’s leading media company, we believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to enjoy the magic of storytelling. Leaning into our technological expertise, we wanted to make our content more inclusive and accessible to all viewers, especially those with visual impairments. That’s why we’re excited to produce 480 minutes of the Audio Description track for Dari Mata Turun Ke Hati to enhance the viewing experience for our audience, thus contributing to a more equitable and inclusive entertainment industry.”

Meanwhile, Erman Basiron, creative director at Talon Creative noted “Working on this campaign for this show gave us insight into a point of view we never considered. How do the visually impaired experience life? How do they consume content and media? It wasn’t just about highlighting their plight; it was a real opportunity to give society a look into a completely different paradigm of life.”

Astro has continued to signal its intent of championing inclusivity. Past efforts have seen Astro collaborate with the Malaysian Association for the Blind during the month of Merdeka. The initiative brought Miss Nurin Amalin binti Ishak, a para-athlete who has been blind since she was 10 years old to feel the braille of the Malaysian flag. This enabled her to experience the flow of the flag, its story, colours, and elements. More importantly, it gave hope to the blind that they too can experience the full spirit of what a Merdeka celebration is.

Singapore – Live commerce and shoppable short video provider BeLive Technology has announced a new partnership with Star Live, a live streaming platform based in Singapore. This latest collaboration aims to connect both the retail and celebrity worlds, to help increase sales for global brands.

For this partnership, Star Live has enlisted the help of some of Singapore’s recognised names, including Jack Neo,Terence Cao and Dawn Yeoh, to usher in a new era of e-commerce through providing consumer-star engagement and unparalleled entertainment. 

It will see BeLive Technology elevate entire online shopping experiences, from a mere transaction to a must-attend online star-studded affair, bringing an end to the days of passive shopping.

The collaboration will also see Star Live launch its first vertical web drama series titled ‘The Executioner’, which will feature celebrities such as Vincent Ng and Thai influencer Fah Chatchaya Suthisuwan, also popularly known as ‘Fah Fah’. The vertical web drama series will tap on BeLive’s technologies to make it interactive and shoppable.

Kenneth Tan, CEO of BeLive Technology, said, “This latest partnership between BeLive and Star Live will see some of the biggest celebrities in Asia take part in must-experience shoppable video sessions. These will not only provide more engaging content for consumers but also help brands increase sales on the back of inflation. I believe live streaming represents the future of e-commerce as today’s consumers crave online interaction.”

He added, “Add that to rapid advances in streaming technology, the integration of AI and celebrities and shopping suddenly becomes a more enjoyable, star studded affair. We are hugely excited to be teaming up with Star Live and look forward to transforming how shoppers make those all-important, online purchases.”

Meanwhile, Terence Cao, founder of Star Live, commented, “We’re thrilled to join forces with BeLive to bring a new dimension to live commerce. By combining our celebrity-driven content with BeLive’s cutting-edge streaming technology, we’re set to create an unparalleled shopping experience that is as entertaining as it is effective. This partnership marks a significant step forward in how we connect brands with consumers, making shopping more interactive, engaging, and accessible. We’re excited about the potential this collaboration holds to redefine the e-commerce landscape in Asia and beyond.”

Singapore – With anime–the popular form of Japanese animation–seeing greater revenue by licensing anime titles to overseas audiences, the popular anime-centric streaming service Crunchyroll is seen ramping up its presence in Southeast Asia, most notably in Indonesia where they recently launched their local campaign to bring localised versions of popular anime titles.

It is worth noting that while Crunchyroll has been present in Asia, most markets have limited availability on its portfolio and audiences shifting to other services, including those that offer free viewing on YouTube. The question is: how will Crunchyroll tap in this market where there is active competition between platforms and licensors?

For that, we recently spoke exclusively with Akshat Sahu, senior director of marketing for APAC at Crunchyroll to learn more about Crunchyroll’s plans in Southeast Asia, and learning more about why anime is more than just the streaming experience.

Competing and expanding Crunchyroll in SEA

When asked why Crunchyroll is ramping up its expansion in Southeast Asia in recent months, Sahu said that Southeast Asia has a large and passionate anime fanbase, and at Crunchyroll, they have seen a growing demand for access to high-quality content. 

“We’re ramping up our expansion to meet this demand by bringing fans closer to the anime they love. Our aim is to create a localised experience that caters to the unique cultural and consumption preferences of each market. By expanding further into Southeast Asia, we aim to provide fans with seamless access to an extensive collection of anime and introduce them to new and exciting titles at the same time as they stream in Japan,” he said.

A report from Culture Group in 2023 notes how over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms in Southeast Asia have given the rise to anime consumption in the region. This is in addition to anime being an important part of the region’s cultural tapestry and has been a part of many consumers’ upbringing. 

It is also worth noting that with Crunchyroll entering finally into the region with expanded offerings, it will go against streaming competitors and other licensing companies that offer free and legal anime streaming like Muse Communications and Medialink. When asked about what makes them stand out from these players, Suha notes how anime is more than just the streaming experience.

“At Crunchyroll, we offer more than just anime streaming—we provide a holistic experience for anime fans. With our vast catalogue featuring exclusive titles and simulcasts from Japan, we help fans access the latest episodes as they air. We are also focused on expanding localized anime content and bringing theatrical releases to the region, such as the ‘Demon Slayer Infinity Castle’ trilogy. Additionally, we are curating anime experiences at upcoming regional events, allowing us to connect more deeply with our audience. Our goal is to deliver an immersive experience that goes beyond viewing, fostering a sense of belonging for anime fans in Southeast Asia,” he explained.

In 2023, Crunchyroll made its way as a sponsor and promotional partner for Anime Festival Asia 2023, which was held in Singapore and is one of the region’s largest festivals dedicated to anime. Moreover, Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra has also hinted earlier this year of launching Crunchyroll to Amazon channels dedicated to consumers in Southeast Asia.

What to look forward for Crunchyroll in SEA

When asked about the anime appetite amongst SEA audience, Sahu said, “In Southeast Asia, we’ve noticed a strong appetite for simulcast content—fans want to watch anime at the same time as their peers in Japan. This immediacy, combined with the desire for diverse genres, is fueling watchtime growth in the region. Additionally, there is a steady rise in mobile viewership, reflecting the digital-first habits of audiences in SEA.”

In response to said continued growth, Crunchyroll’s SEA expansion will begin in Indonesia, with Sahu stating the market’s big anime fanbase as its touchpad to launch the platform in the country.

“Indonesia is an important market in the SEA region due to its large and passionate anime fanbase. Indonesian anime fans have demonstrated high engagement with anime content, and we believe there’s significant potential for growth. We are delivering localized content, customised pricing and features tailored to the preferences of Indonesian fans. Recently, we also partnered with Telkomsel to offer special bundled packages for anime fans,” he said.

Sahu refers to a recent partnership they have with Indonesian telco Telkomsel for its first specialised anime destination package in Indonesia, namely the ‘Telkomsel and Crunchyroll Bundling Package.’ 

In terms of what can Southeast Asian audiences expect from the platform in the coming months, he said, “In the SEA region, we are committed to bringing engaging and immersive anime experiences to fans and will focus on campaigns that excite our audiences while also highlighting the breadth of our anime library. Our goal is to make Crunchyroll synonymous with anime in Southeast Asia through dynamic and culturally relevant initiatives. As part of our ongoing campaign, ‘Ayo Crunchyroll,’ we will soon launch Out-of-Home (OOH) displays featuring popular anime titles at locations like Jakarta’s iconic Bundaran HI and Blok M MRT stations.”

The platform’s expansion into SEA follows its recent brand revamp centred around how its new look, feel, and sound will reflect the joy that anime brings to fans, tapping into an ethos of fun and celebration.

As anime becomes a cultural phenomenon across the region, the expansion of Crunchyroll into Southeast Asia marks a significant development in the media landscape. By entering this growing market, Crunchyroll not only meets the rising demand for legal and accessible anime content but also positions itself as a key player in the regional entertainment industry.

Ultimately, Crunchyroll’s presence in Southeast Asia is a strategic move that underscores the region’s importance in the global anime market and highlights the potential for further growth and engagement.