AMC Networks
Reimagining Direct-to-Consumer Content Delivery
Research to design for binge behavior
AMC, like all television networks, has had to rethink the business models they've operated for decades with to stay afloat in competition with newer, bigger, and yet more nimble streaming services. We worked with AMC across two initiatives — a research based project to better understand TV viewership habits and the D2C subscription model —which launched as AMC Premiere.
The Problem:
TV networks have lost a data race to streaming services, but quantitative viewership metrics don't tell a complete story.
- Concept Validation Testing
- Content Strategy
- Copywriting & Editing
- Experience Strategy
- Product Design
Modernizing and Monetizing the TV Viewing Experience
A “binge” isn’t simply activated for viewers — it’s a behavior that AMC can influence through an improved, holistic viewer experience offering personalized content wherever, whenever, and however viewers watch their favorite shows.
Seamlessly transitions from one episode to the next without disruptive advertising led to us proposing an entirely new advertising model that pushed ads at the start of an episode back to increase the likelihood of someone getting “hooked, ” and reduced the total number of ads someone saw the more back-to-back episodes they watched. With ad space becoming more exclusive and valuable to advertisers, we also recommended a premium price tier to reduce content interruptions.
Outcome
Presenting AMC Premiere
Our first research project with AMC defined the landscape, viewership behavior, and opportunities AMC had to leverage their award-winning content in an all-new digital experience. We then designed, validation-tested, and help launch a direct-to-consumer content experience, while also helping AMC explore a future-vision for their website.
AMC Premiere launched in 2018, and is still supported by the ad revenue model we developed.