38
September 2016
OTT built for viewers
Fuelled by the explosion of consumer devices
such as mobile phones and tablets — with
776 million mobile connections in Southeast Asia — the over-the-top (OTT) scene
is getting hotter, drawing in many OTT
service providers. With more connections,
content and choices, consumers are getting
their entertainment on-the-go, wherever and
whenever they want.
Indonesia is the third largest smartphone
market in the Asia-Pacific region, following
China and India, with viewers now spending
almost half of their online viewing time
on mobile, according to Ooyala. Since we
launched Viu in Indonesia in May this year, we
have seen video views exceeding 25,000 hours
in just the first 30 days. We have observed
similar success with our launches in Hong
Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and India over the
past six months.
During our eight years providing videoon-demand (VoD) content to viewers in
emerging markets, we’ve seen first-hand how
rapidly technology and consumer preferences
can change. When we first launched Vuclip
in 2008, Apple had just introduced the
revolutionary iPhone, and FM radios were
still considered an essential feature for mobile
devices.
Fast forward eight years and high-definition
(HD) streaming of music and video have
become commonplace. 3G and 4G connections
are projected to make up 88% of mobile
subscriptions in South-east Asia by 2020.
Our secret to success is really quite simple
— always put the viewer first. We do that by
making sure we understand what they want:
n Consumers favour fresh, current
content. In our most recent Global Video
Insights Survey, more than half of video viewers
in Indonesia and Malaysia indicated that they
look for freshness and diversity in content.
n Viewers want to watch videos in their
native language. Offering fresh content with
local subtitles is key; providing same-day
delivery creates bonus points.
n Only an unbuffered viewing
experience is acceptable. Premium content
should only be showcased with a premium
viewing experience through unbuffered, HDquality videos. Champagne sipped out of a
plastic cup just would not feel the same, right?
With Viu, we have focused on meeting
these demands. One of our greatest
opportunities has been with the extremely
popular Asian dramas. We are streaming some
of the biggest hits on the same day as the Asia
content broadcast, provided with English and
local subtitles, and in high quality.
Research conducted by PCCW showed
that between 53% and 80% of viewers from
Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia watch
Asian dramas regularly.
By leveraging invaluable consumer insights
while keeping updated on the trends and habits
of viewers in the region, we are able to provide
a better overall experience for them. And that
is how we continue to draw more viewers and
consumers to Viu.
Video streaming OTT players are purveyors
of entertainment. The more we are tuned into
what our audience demands, and consequently
work towards fulfilment, the better the chance
of success. With competition brewing within
the region, it is imperative that we continue to
keep that in mind. q
NICKHIL
JAKATDAR
CEO, Vuclip