Is Europe Finally Catching Up with Africa?
Caroline B. Dia
Content Strategist Focused on African Markets (TV/SVOD) I Editorial Strategy and Production @Wido.tv
Turns out, the Senegalese approach of ditching strict media timelines and release windows might have been spot-on all along.
Who would’ve thought that betting on your community—especially the Youtube one—could be the real jackpot?
Let me tell you more about it.
Recently, I couldn’t scroll through my feed without seeing something about INOXTAG and KAIZEN. At first, I figured it had to be some miracle cure or a killer anime. But nope, my feed wasn’t letting me stay in the dark for long!
Inoxtag’s documentary on climbing Everest rocked Francophone Europe’s media world. In just seven days, it hit 25 million views on YouTube. Before that, he managed to sell over 300,000 cinema tickets in one day across 11 countries. And guess what? It’s about to hit French TV screens on TF1 on October 8, just after it drops on TF1+ in late September.
So under a month, the documentary made its way from theaters to YouTube and TV—talk about covering all the bases! But more importantly, it shows how digital content creators can thrive in different spaces. They're breaking down the invisible walls between cinema, TV, and digital platforms because their real strength lies in their community, which is always at the heart of what they do.
Now, you might ask, what does this have to do with Senegal?
Well, it reminds me of how producers roll here. In Senegal, we focus on delivering content to audiences wherever they are, instead of forcing them to watch on one particular platform. Producers here have the upper hand, because they aren’t tied down by legal or traditional windowing restrictions.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I appreciate structure. And as someone working for an SVOD platform, I’ll always want exclusive access to content first. But, let’s be real: meeting audiences where they are is far more efficient and cost-effective than making them meet you on your terms.
Just look at what our producers are doing: releasing shows on TikTok (Tentations by @Marodi x CANAL+ Group ), kicking off series on YouTube and finishing them in theaters (Salma by @Invictus), or getting 6 million views in a week on their final episode while still airing on free-to-air national TV (Bété Bété S2 by EVENPROD SARL —launched on YouTube, and simultaneously SEN TV).
Some series, like Hair Lover by Kalista Production , debut on an SVOD platform like @Wido.tv and within a month, before the season ends, are released simultaneously on YouTube and free-to-air national TV. Breaking its own records on both platforms.
What once seemed like a bit of a casse-tête chinois actually makes perfect sense when you offer your community a variety of options, all backed by a clear content monetization strategy.
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In a nutshell, Europe is just scratching the surface of what we’ve been perfecting for years in Africa. We’re happy to give them a few pointers!
Main takeaway? Prioritize your community !
Deliver content to them wherever they are, through every relevant window, because at the end of the day, you’re creating it for them.
Screening Links :
Tentations S1 : https://www.tiktok.com/@marodi.international/video/7412704932622503174?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7380089741533038085
Bété Bété S1 : https://youtu.be/LoeO6DPsyf8?si=s7GZOzFboz7ZN7GY
Salma S1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_e2j3_zcVE
Hair Lover S1 : www.wido.tv