As an executive in the TV industry, you can leverage demand data to guide important and strategic decisions, including content valuation, content acquisition, distribution, and programming. Let's consider a case study of "Secrets of the London Underground" in October 2023 in Australia to illustrate how demand data can inform such decisions.
One of the key applications of demand data is content valuation. Using demand data, you can estimate the worth of any title, whether it's an individual series or an entire content library. For "Secrets of the London Underground," the demand data from the last 30 days revealed that it has 5.5 times the audience demand of the average show in Australia, indicating good demand. Moreover, only 8.6% of all TV shows have this level of demand, which shows that "Secrets of the London Underground" is above average in terms of viewer appeal. Comparing its demand to the average over the last 90 days, we can also observe an increasing trend in audience demand, suggesting potential for growth in demand in the future.
Demand data can also help you weigh acquisition decisions. When considering new content for licensing or syndication, you can leverage demand data to assess the value potential of a specific series or seasons, especially in the context of exclusive versus non-exclusive licensing. For example, let's compare the audience demand for "Secrets of the London Underground" in Australia to its home country, UK. In October 2023, the demand for "Secrets of the London Underground" in Australia was 59% of the demand in the UK, indicating that this particular series may have stronger performance in its home country, and hence, may pose attractive acquisition opportunities in the UK and potentially less lucrative opportunities in other countries.
Demand data is also relevant to programming decisions. For instance, demand data can help you identify the most popular genres among your viewers, allowing you to tailor your programming mix to maximize audience engagement. In the case of "Secrets of the London Underground," we know that it ranks in the 99.5th percentile in the documentary genre in Australia, indicating strong demand and suggesting that additional documentaries on similar topics may resonate well with viewers.
Demand intelligence also allows you to be more strategic in distribution decisions, from identifying potential new markets to assessing international performance. In the instance of "Secrets of the London Underground," for example, we see that it outperforms the demand of the average TV show across all 10 top global markets where it is popular. This data could encourage TV distributors to continue targeting these markets to increase reach and engagement.
Furthermore, demand data can be used to assess a show's momentum, longevity, reach, travelability, and franchisability, which sheds light on its potential for future success. For instance, if a series has steady demand across a long duration, that indicates the show may be suitable for syndication or repackaging into another format such as a spin-off or franchise. With "Secrets of the London Underground," we observe only okay demand in longevity, momentum, franchisability, and reach, which could perhaps be a sign for showrunners to take action to support audience growth and engagement.
In conclusion, leveraging demand data in decision-making in the entertainment industry can help you to make more informed and data-driven decisions. By understanding key demand data points, including content valuation, audience demand, and consumer preferences, you can better target potential opportunities and avoid costly missteps. As exemplified by the performance of "Secrets of the London Underground" in October 2023 in Australia, strategic use of demand data can help a production team increase viewer engagement and generate future success in a highly competitive market.
