West African content captures global audiences
The Trade Desk
We’re committed to making digital advertising better, because the future of the open internet depends on it.
From Afrobeats to Nollywood: West African cultural exports could be the next big global content trend
By Zac Wang
First came Japanese media, with its epic manga, anime, video games, and armies of loyal otakus. Then it was Korean entertainment, with K-pop spearheading a global cultural wave, or hallyu, that included the?first foreign-language?“Best Picture” Oscar-winning movie (Parasite) and the first Korean act?to headline?the Coachella music festival (BLACKPINK).?
Now it could be West Africa’s turn to usher in the next big global trend in content.?
Earlier this month, the Selena Gomez remix of Afrobeats star Rema’s song “Calm Down” became the first African-artist-led track to amass 1 billion streams on Spotify, joining the likes of Taylor Swift, Drake, and Coldplay at the uppermost echelon of the music streaming world. At the start of the month, Nigeria’s Burna Boy became the?first international?Afrobeats artist to land a No. 1 album in the U.K.?
And American streaming giants have been steadily, if quietly, investing in African video content, especially out of Nollywood and South Africa,?looking for?the next?Squid Game-like global hit. These investments could prove particularly fruitful as the Hollywood content tap sputters back to life following?the end of?the U.S. writers’ strike.?
The surge in popularity of African (and particularly West African) content is the latest iteration of the globalization of media. The ubiquity of global streaming platforms means that content has no borders, with audiences in Brazil just as likely to stream Afrobeats music as those from India and the U.S., according to Spotify.
_____________________________________________________________________
Just briefly
As Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte turns 20 this year, brands today are still capitalizing on?seasonal products, with specialty items launching earlier than ever.
Emily Ketchen, global VP and CMO of Lenovo, joins?The Current Podcast?to discuss major takeaways from her career and how diversity drives the brand.
领英推荐
_____________________________________________________________________
Amazon, Netflix, Disney, and more: Consumers see the value of streaming’s ad tiers
By Chris Brooklier
With Disney set to?increase the price?of Disney+ and Hulu on October 12, consumers will have to pay up to keep watching without ads. While the ad-free plans did go up, Disney left the price of their ad plans alone at $7.99, along with the prices of the Disney bundles.?
While other streaming services have?raised their prices?over the last year with an eye toward profitability, the good news is that nearly all have a lower-cost ad tier that provides more options for cost-conscious consumers. Amazon announced recently it will introduce an ad tier early next year and charge consumers $3 more a month to stay ad-free. For Prime subscribers, the ad tier will come at no extra charge, giving viewers the choice of accepting ads in exchange for watching shows.?
This could be a win for consumers, streaming services, and advertisers —?and an indication of where streaming services are trying to steer their viewers toward these plans.?
The shift toward making ad-supported streaming more prominent comes at a transitional moment for the cord-cutting era, when economic headwinds have made consumers and companies more focused on the bottom line. At a time when consumers might be inclined to cut back on expensive subscriptions, ad tiers could be seen as a good option to keep customers on the platform and reduce churn.
_____________________________________________________________________
This content was originally produced in The Current’s weekly newsletter.?Sign up?to get the latest?in modern marketing delivered to your inbox.
The Current?also now has its own?LinkedIn?and?YouTube?channels. Follow and subscribe to learn more about identity, the future of TV, retail media, and beyond.