How specific can brands get in a Storyverse search, and how involved should they be in the process?
Gould: We leverage AI and machine learning to scan our catalog of digital content, and it not only marks objects but also reads the copy to make assessments on sentiment. We can get super granular to targeting beach scenes or sunglass products, or whatever it may be.
One thing that I didn’t mention about Storyverse is the conversations that we’re having in the market and continue to have with brands. It is a collaborative process with the community, and we really need to find brand fit. One of the things that could go wrong is if we send a message that our complete catalog of IP is commercialized and open for everyone—that’s definitely not the case. This is a collaborative, white glove process with our top partners.
During the upfront—in the shift back to HBO Max, the discussions of the successful brand partnerships around White Lotus, and the preview of theatrical releases from both Warner Bros. and A24—was there intentional focus on creating shows and movies with enduring legacy similar to the series and films that drew brands to Storyverse?
Voltaggio: It’s a common theme that Ryan and I were getting across: The cultural relevance of our content. It’s the cultural relevance that drives conversation. It drives consumer behavior. So it’s a very holistic way that we’re approaching our content and utilization of that IP for our clients in this fashion, with the tech to back it up.
So when a show like The Pitt on Max finds that relevance, how did breaking down the silos make it easier to send Season 1 over to TNT before Season 2 debuts later this year?
Gould: The average consumer doesn’t say to their family and friends, “Hey, I’m going to stream The Pitt,” or, “I’m going to linear watch The Pitt.” They just say, “I’m going to watch The Pitt.”
They look at video pretty holistically, regardless of how it’s delivered into their living rooms. The disconnect from a B2B perspective is that planning, buying, and strategy is built differently for pay TV than it is for streaming and digital, but the products are kind of the same. We are super excited because season one of The Pitt on Max was a huge success, and then TNT still reaches tens of millions of people, so the promotional power of having Season 1 on Max is a nice flywheel of internal promotion for that show.
