Sometime this week, Verizon should be announcing a new video streaming service that will be targeted at millennials. The service, known as Go90, will call upon viewers to turn their phones 90 degrees in order to start watching television shows. Go90 will not have any advertisements, instead generating revenue from advertisements.
Both live and on-demand programming will be available through Go90. The content, however, will not include everything that a television network has to offer. Select shows from Comedy Central, Discovery, ESPN, NFL Network, and Food Network are offered in addition to online series from AwesomenessTV, Machinima, Tastemade, and Vice. Having ESPN's programming offered is probably the most surprising; however, Verizon negotiated mobile rights for individual shows with its partners rather than going for an all-in-one deal. The live programming will primarily come from NFL games and concerts.
The New York Times explains Verizon's decision in not associating the Big Red brand with Go90:
Executives made a conscious decision not to include the word Verizon when choosing a name for the new service, in part to appeal to as broad an audience as possible. That is important as Verizon seeks to bolster its mobile ad business and deliver to advertisers big audiences that watch premium content. Go90 also could serve as a marketing tool to attract new customers to Verizon’s wireless service.
Verizon's Marni M. Walden pointed to Go90's target market, people ages 18-34, watching 70% viewing on mobile before any other form factor to prove that there is an “enormous opportunity.” The company wants viewers to talk about Go90 on social media. Because that's exactly what millennials do, right?
Since this video streaming service is ad-supported, viewers will not have to be Verizon customers.
Source: Go90
Via: The New York Times
