academic – Kris&Noah

Tag: academic

Not another ride-share app!

November 3, 2019November 15, 2019

It’s a sweltering winter day in sunny Brisbane, and The University of Queensland campus is bustling. Students are running from class to class, darting here and there, but no-one is so preoccupied that they don’t notice the “Free Ice-Cream” sign in front of a bright orange caravan. A closer inspection identifies that I too can obtain a free ice-cream if I just download the DiDi app and register, oh and when I do – I’ll qualify for a free ride! What a brilliant piece of place-based marketing.

DiDi – too late or perfect timing?

DiDi is the most recent entrant into the increasingly crowded ride-sharing app space. Launching in Australia in 2018 with a limited trial in Geelong, then expanding to Melbourne, Newcastle and now Brisbane in July 2019, DiDi can in no way be described as an early entrant in Australia. That title is well and truly held by Uber, but what DiDi has done is judge the market, carefully select its distribution locations, and enter the market with an intriguing offer that sets it apart from the competition – clearly setting itself up as a strong challenger.

DiDi joins a crowded marketplace in Australia, with Uber, Shofer, Bolt (previously Taxify), Shebah, Olah and GoCatch (which facilitates taxi hires as well) just some of the local competitors. Within Queensland alone there is Muve, Ola, GoCatch and Uber vying for the local market. This competition is appealing for the customer as it means the potential for lower prices and discounts in the short term, but it does raise questions about long-term sustainability, given that taxis held a profitable dominance for a very long time.

If a DiDi honks on a crowded street – will anybody hear?

DiDi’s campaign messaging, “Do More, Pay Less”, is designed to appeal to the young night-life and activity loving crowd who are driven by experiences not the cost of things. Through the visual of young people enjoying their night more because they could pay less for transport presents DiDi as an attractive option that removes a barrier to having a good time. This messaging is perfectly targeting the university and young adult segment, and is echoed by activations on university campuses like the one I experienced at UQ, alongside discount offers being provided to students through direct partnerships with Universities and student discount providers like UNiDAYS.

Ride-Sharing in Australia

The choice of Australia is an interesting one and will likely prove to be a testing ground for future expansion to the Uber and Lyft dominated US. More interesting is the choice to bypass Sydney, rolling out in Newcastle in March 2019 and now Brisbane before the country’s most populous city. The choice of Newcastle has been defended due to it being a regional commercial centre with a “vibrant, young university population”. DiDi appear to be very targeted in their distribution and choice of place for the roll-out of their product and marketing efforts, selecting cities with high arts, cultural and sporting participation, large university populations and regional centres. This, matched with very specific targeted marketing to those participants and university students, aligns with the direct-distribution model.

Ride-sharing and ride-hailing services, like DiDi and Uber, operate as online platforms to facilitate the connection between independent contracting drivers and passengers to provide on-demand point-to-point transport. As a service, the initial outlay is in the establishment of the app and infrastructure, while ongoing operational costs are relatively small, making them an attractive option for growth. Through a selective direct-distribution model, where DiDi trades in selected cities and distributes via their own app direct to customers, there is a reduction in barriers to purchase for customers (Iacobucci 2018).

Didi is the delivery mechanism for passengers which provides a better experience as drivers earn more.
Peter Murphy, Executive Director – OMG

It could be argued that DiDi and other ridesharing apps also serve as a distributor for drivers, providing the drivers’ services to the customer, in a similar way that a retailer provides a manufacturer’s product (Iacobucci 2018). The driver has no possible direct distribution model short of picking up a stranger on the side of the road and hoping the passenger might pay for the privilege of being driven and therefore relies upon the rideshare operator granting them power, whether that power be coercive (in the case of Uber) with the driver having to suffer through the status-quo, or referent and reward (in the case of DiDi) with the driver receiving favourable outcomes (Iacobucci 2018).

In both the case of the driver’s distribution model and DiDi’s, the chain operates from a pull strategy, with the customer initiating the purchase, pulling the service from the provider/s. The channel of distribution can impact the perception and value of a brand and there must be an appropriate fit between channel and brand (Farra et al 2019). It would be counter-productive, inauthentic and potentially damaging to their brand for DiDi to utilise a third party app or distributor of their services when the direct-to-consumer on-demand approach is what led to the rise of the ride-sharing industry and its ascent over taxis.

References

B&T Magazine, n.d., ‘Rideshare service DiDi launches ‘Do More, Pay Less’ campaign via OMG! Creative & Mr Smith’, B&T, retrieved 16 September 2019, <https://www.bandt.com.au/media/rideshare-service-platform-didi>

Barratt, T, Veen, A, Goods, C, Josserand, E, and Kaine, S 2018, ‘As yet another ridesharing platform launches in Australia, how does this all end?’, The Conversation, 25 June 2018, retrieved 16 September 2019 <http://theconversation.com/as-yet-another-ridesharing-platform-launches-in-australia-how-does-this-all-end-98389>

DiDi Australia 2018, ‘Studying? We’ve got great news!’, DiDi Blog, November 2018, retrieved 16 September 2019, <https://didiaustralia.blog/2018/11/06/studying-weve-got-great-news/>

Farra, S, Quieroz, M, Prado, P, and de Queiroz, R 2019, ‘The allure of ubiquity: brand equity and brand authenticity influenced by distribution channels’, Brazilian Journal of Management, vol. 12, no. 3, retrieved 17 September 2019 <http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=138193546&authtype=sso&custid=deakin&site=eds-live&scope=site>

Iacobucci, D 2018, Marketing Management Fifth Edition, Cengage Learning, Boston, USA.

Kaye, B and Jourdan, A 2018, ‘Chinese ride-sharing giant Didi picks Australia for first Western foray’, Reuters, 15 June 2018, retrieved 17 September 2019 <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-didi-australia/chinese-ride-sharing-giant-didi-picks-australia-for-first-western-foray-idUSKBN1JB0BL>

Loh, J 2018, ‘Uber on high alert as Chinese competitor Didi moves to Melbourne’, Marketing Magazine, 15 June 2018, retrieved 16 September 2019, <https://www.marketingmag.com.au/news-c/news-uber-didi-moves-melbourne/>

Loh, J 2018, ‘Battle of the brands – Uber and DiDi to feature at 2018 AFL Grand Final’, Marketing Magazine, 27 September 2018, retrieved 17 September 2019 <https://www.marketingmag.com.au/news-c/news-didi-afl-grand-final/>

Mallis, A 2019, ‘DiDi Express bypasses Sydney, to launch ridesharing service in Newcastle’, Which-50, 4 March 2019, retrieved 17 September 2019 <https://which-50.com/didi-express-bypasses-sydney-to-launch-ridesharing-service-in-newcastle/>

Thomson, J 2018, ‘Ridesharing has grown massively in Australia’, IbisWorld, 14 October 2018, retrieved 16 September 2019, <https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-insider/industry-insights/ridesharing-has-grown-massively-in-australia/>

University of Queensland Union 2019, ‘DiDi’, UQU, retrieved 16 September 2019, <https://www.uqu.com.au/reward/didi>

Wilkinson, Z 2019, ‘Rideshare service Didi launches brand platform “Do More, Pay Less”’, Mumbrella, 3 July 2019, retrieved 16 September 2019 <https://mumbrella.com.au/rideshare-service-didi-launches-brand-platform-do-more-pay-less-586583>

Marketing

The folly of Seafolly

October 27, 2019November 15, 2019

In a post-feminist, post-#metoo world, how do female focused swimwear brands market their products in a way that is respectful but still aspirational?

Australian swimwear brand Seafolly is facing into the challenge, launching their campaign ‘Own your folly’, hoping to draw confidence from women. The campaign positions the brand as the perfect fit for women who don’t take themselves too seriously, while sending the message that Seafolly’s swimwear can help its’ wearers have confidence and claim their attitude.

We are the folly makers

Seafolly, an iconic Australian brand since its launch in the 1970s, has grown into a global leader in swimwear with a presence in over 1200 stores across 46 countries. Founded by the husband and wife team of Peter and Yvonne Hallas, in 2014, the company has always lived by the mantra “Seafolly is made for living. We’re not afraid to do it; explore it, seek it, live it. In swimwear that supports it”. With a stated purpose that includes making “a positive difference in the lives of women today”, and a vision “to be the most iconic fashion swimwear brand in the world”, the company is taking a strong body-positive stance in its promotional efforts.

Own your folly

It allowed us to break our mown rules… Own Your Folly means not caring what anyone else thinks and just owning whatever it is you want to do.
Gracie Otto, Director, Playtime)

The brand campaign, while appearing to be more of the same exploitative stereotype featuring beautiful skinny women in bikinis playing in the pool, positions the brand as the perfect partner for young women in claiming their lifestyles as their own. It calls for women to own their bodies and their actions. Seafolly hopes the campaign will redefine the category and give Seafolly a voice to empower women while connecting to the core values at the heart of the brand. Seafolly believes that “women today want to belong to brands that liberate them to embrace who they are and share their beliefs”. Iacobucci (2018) outlines that advertising goals generally fall into three categories Cognition, an increase in awareness of the brand, By utilising the advertising goal of Affect, enhancing attitudes and positive associations of the brand, Seafolly’s messaging and campaign is structured to align the brand with an increased perception of self-empowerment and body-positivity through its use of image ads to make emotional appeals (Iacobucci 2018).

There is a growing trend across the industry in promoting to women through body-positive messaging. However, while companies such as Targetand Channel 7take the approach of celebrating the diversity of different female body types, Seafolly is still promoting the aspirational and dare I say it unattainable. In their 2015 campaign, Target celebrated diversity with a variety of shapes, sizes and ages, allowing plus sized models and middle-aged women to be the aspiration, a move that Target has continued to promote across their marketing.

Target's body-positive bikini campaign — Target’s body-positive bikini campaign

Spreading the Message

Seafolly are undertaking an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) approach in spreading their marketing messaging through this campaign, placing content across TV, cinema, retail and point of sale, OOH (bus megasides and billboards), and social (YouTube etc). With this variety of mediums, Seafolly are clearly looking at obtaining as many Gross Rating Points (GRPs) through reaching as many people as possible as frequently as possible (Iacobucci 2018), while reaching their potential customers wherever they are – be that on YouTube, on social media, or television.

Seafolly's Own Your Folly Campaign — Seafolly’s Own Your Folly Campaign

IMC is about more than just the coordination, integration and unification of messaging across channels. It is a vital tool in increasing competitive advantage, brand equity, and achievement of marketing goals (Bruhn and Schnebelen 2017, p.464). The growing impact and prominence of new and social media have led to a need to shift towards a customer-centric view and co-creation (Bruhn and Schnebelen 2017). In practice, utilising social media and other direct marketing platforms to both engage with customers and to encourage customers to co-create/co-distribute promotional content, leading to an ability to reach more potential customers. Seafolly are embracing this concept by encouraging women to share their moments of folly with their friends on social media.

WTF (What The Folly)?

The decision from Seafolly to retain the stereotypical image of the perfect bikini body could affect the campaign, with recent bans on gender-stereotyping ads in the UK affecting advertisers. Maciejewski (2005), raises questions around the importance of how advertisers actually feel about the messages they are sending, highlighting that while they felt the use of sexual appeals in advertising was moral, there is a belief the use of sexual appeals needs to be related to the product. In a study of post-feminist advertising, Malson et al (2011) identified that female audiences found a distance between themselves and the advertised images used, while recognising the appeal of such images, finding them unrelatable and potentially derogatory.

References

Blackiston, H 2019, ‘Seven’s The All New Monty: Ladies’ Night to premiere September 29’, Mumbrella, 17 September 2019, retrieved 18 September 2019, <https://mumbrella.com.au/sevens-the-all-new-monty-ladies-night-to-premiere-september-29-598538>

Bruhn, M and Schnebelen, S 2017, ‘Integrated marketing communication – from an instrumental to a customer-centric perspective’, European Journal of Marketing, vol. 51, no. 3, retrieved 17 September 2019, <doi: 101.1108/EJM-08-2015-0591>

Carlton, A 2019, ‘Hidden problem with ‘banned’ bikini shot’,news.com.au, 19 June 2019, retrieved 18 September 2019, <https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/hidden-problem-with-banned-bikini-shot/news-story/1665a330cdf2a54b7a93a1dbd2f36351>

Green, R 2019, ‘Seafolly appoints Thinkerbell as new creative agency following a competitive pitch process’, Campaign Brief, 3 July 2019, retrieved 18 September 2019, <https://campaignbrief.com/seafolly-appoints-thinkerbell-as-new-creative-agency-following-a-competitive-pitch-process/>

Green, R 2019, ‘Seafolly gives women the confidence to own it in new ‘Own Your Folly’ campaign via Thinkerbell’, Campaign Brief, 17 September 2019, retrieved 18 September 2019 <https://campaignbrief.com/seafolly-gives-women-the-confidence-to-own-it-in-new-own-your-folly-campaign-via-thinkerbell/>

Iacobucci, D 2018, Marketing Management Fifth Edition, Cengage Learning, Boston, USA.

Komar, M 2015, ‘Target Australia releases new bikini ad that is all kinds of body positive’, Bustle, 7 December 2015, retrieved 18 September 2019 <https://www.bustle.com/articles/127935-target-australia-releases-new-bikini-ad-that-is-all-kinds-of-body-positive-photos>

L Catterton 2019, ‘Seafolly’, L Catterton Asia, retrieved 18 September 2019 <http://www.lcattertonasia.com/Brands.html#!/current/x/Seafolly>

LaFrenz, C 2018, ‘Seafolly aims to sell beach lifestyle to China’, The Australian Financial Review, 29 June 2018, retrieved 18 September 2019, <https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/seafolly-aims-to-sell-australias-beach-lifestyle-to-china-20180628-h11zr5>

LaFrenz, C 2019, ‘L Catterton Asia on the hunt for health and beauty assets’, The Australian Financial Review, 25 May 2019, retrieved 18 September 2019, <https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/l-catterton-asia-on-the-hunt-for-health-and-beauty-assets-20190523-p51qh3>

Laurie, S and Mortimer, K 2019, ‘How to achieve true integration: the impact of integrated marketing communication on the client/agency relationship’, Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 35, nos. 3-4, retrieved 17 September 2019 <doi:10.1080/0267257X.2019.1576755>

Maciejewski, J 2005, ‘From Bikins to Basal Cell Carcinoma: Advertising Practitioners’ Moral Assessments of Advertising Content’, Journal of Current Issues in Research and Advertising, vol. 27, no. 2, retrieved 18 September 2019, <doi: 10.1080/10641734.2005.10505185>

Malson, H, Halliwell, E, Tischner, I and Rudolfsdottir, A 2011, ‘Post-feminist advertising laid bare: Young women’s talk about the sexually agentic women of “midriff” advertising’, Feminism and Psychology, vol. 21, no. 1, retrieved 18 September 2019, <doi: 10.1177/0959353510370030>

Seafolly 2018, ‘About Us’, Seafolly, retrieved 18 September 2019 <https://www.seafolly.com/au/about-us.html>

Seafolly 2019, ‘Own your folly’, Seafolly, retrieved 18 September 2019, <https://www.seafolly.com/au/own-your-folly>

Wilkinson, Z 2019, ‘Seafolly launches ‘Own Your Folly’ brand platform in first campaign from Thinkerbell’, Mumbrella, 17 September 2019, retrieved 18 September 2019 <https://mumbrella.com.au/seafolly-launches-own-your-folly-brand-platform-in-first-campaign-from-thinkerbell-598484>

Screen Industry

Digital Disruption: Screen Australia skips ahead

October 19, 2019November 15, 2019

As time goes on the world’s media continues to converge and new technologies take prominence over the traditional mediums of recent history. This environment necessitates innovation in the creative industries for companies and organisations to survive. In the screen industry this is most noticeable through the prevalence of digital disruption. While Australia is a later entrant in this space, there is no shortage of threats to traditional media including Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, and new services popping up all the time such as 10 All Access and the soon to be launched Disney+. Screen Australia, the country’s leading funding source for screen production, launched Skip Ahead in 2014, a funding program to complement their existing online production programs, in order to promote Australian content in the online space. This program, a partnership with Google, provides funding of up to $100,000 per project for up to six projects a year for eventual distribution via Google-owned YouTube. By supporting Australian YouTube talent to increase their audiences and produce high quality content through Skip Ahead, Screen Australia is meeting its commitment to “facilitate innovation and audience-engaging screen content primarily for viewing on the web and via social media channels” (Screen Australia 2018).

State of the industry

Screen Australia’s Online & On Demand 2017 (n.d., p.2) report identifies that online viewing “supplements and challenges cinema and broadcast television” with Australians still watching via traditional mediums across all access methods including subscription, broadcast and advertising supported. The report further highlights that in 2017 27% of viewers were watching Video on Demand out of the home at least once per month and that most viewers who are active on social media consume video via social media with 50% of those viewers utilising YouTube and 41% Facebook (ibid. pp.9-10). Digital is a growth area, particularly in the realms of video consumption with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018) finding that, as at 2017, 80% of internet users used the internet for Entertainment and Social Media, up from 60% and 70% respectively in 2014-2015.

Australian Communications and Media Authority (2019, pp.64-65) provide further evidence of the ongoing digital disruption across the screen industry with 82% of Australians using the internet to view video content in the previous 6 months to May 2018, with almost all users aged between 18 and 34 and 49% of users aged over 65 consuming online video content. This growth can be partly attributed to increased internet speed with 36% of Australian households connected to online services via the National Broadband Network (ACMA 2019, p.53) which is “enabling the disruptive rise of streaming video…empowering a millennial vanguard of cord-shavers, cord-cutters and cord-nevers” (Roberts 2015, p.8). Further, Australians are using the internet more often and across multiple devices with 74% accessing the internet 3 or more times a day and 40% utilising more than 1 device to go online (ACMA 2019, p.58). From smart TVs to phones and tablets, it is clear that the screen industry needs to reach audiences across multiple devices.

The Australian Government (2017) released a consultation paper that acknowledged the growth of online screen content and the disruption this is causing to the traditional screen industry. They identify how audiences are continuing to fragment, demanding more choices in relation to content and delivery mechanisms and that this provides both challenges and opportunities for the Australian screen industry (ibid., p.1). The situation is not limited to Australia either, with then CEO of Time Warner’s Turner Broadcasting identifying the “need to prioritize programming, monetization and innovation investment while reducing spending in less-impactful areas” (in Lafayette 2015, p.14).

As a case in point, online service BuzzFeed released a video, 6 Fruits You’re Eating Wrong, with a total run-time of one minute and forty-six seconds, across multiple online platforms including Facebook and YouTube, which achieved a viewership three times more than the finales of some of television’s flagship programs including Breaking Bad (Paar 2017, p.32). The disruptors are proving that audience tastes are changing. There is a real desire for bite-sized, short-form entertainment and “history shows that incumbents really don’t react to disruptive products and services until it’s too late” (Roberts 2015, p.9). Farrell (2017) posits that 15 minutes is potentially the maximum run length suitable for online video. He highlights how A+E Networks in the United States is re-launching their previously retired Biography channel brand as a series of one to two minute videos which will allow them more versatility with distribution across all of their outlets (Farrell 2017). There is also the potential of utilising short-form content as a tester for longer-form projects, as Gunpowder & Sky CEO Van Toeffler explains, “I love the idea of down and dirty, cheap pilots you can put up on your own sites and learn from your experiments” (in Farrell 2017).

As technology continues to advance and converge, it is estimated that by 2025, three quarters of internet usage will be mobile-only (Goldberg 2019), meaning it is even more vital for the screen industry to focus on digital-first distribution and short-form content. Short-form content that is not just more easily consumed on-the-go but easily shared, provides creators and traditional media with the opportunity to lead the social media conversation, get ahead of digital convergence and provide their audiences with an interactive experience (Marvis 2017).

The need for content

The growth in usage of online as a video source has given rise to an equal growth in the need for original online content. As of May 2018, 46% of internet users were watching user generated content online and video content online via a subscription service, and 32% were watching other forms of free online video content (ACMA 2019, p.82). With regards to professionally produced content, Netflix is the market leader in distribution with 65% of Australian internet users utilising the service, followed by YouTube with 27% (ibid. p.83). While this appears to be a large gap, it highlights the differences in content on the two platforms. YouTube has been traditionally known for user generated content but has, over recent years, become a platform that users turn to for traditional and original professionally produced media. This has been supplemented by the introduction of YouTube Premium (formerly YouTube Red), a subscription service that gives viewers access to YouTube Originals, content exclusive to YouTube created by some of YouTube’s biggest stars (YouTube n.d.). Screen Australia (n.d., p.20) identify the popularity of YouTube in Australia stating that “YouTube’s unique content offering, and massive global footprint, has reached broader Australian audiences, with 1 in 3 aged 60+ watching professional screen content via the service at least monthly”.

In their 2017 report, Screen Australia (n.d., p.7) point out the desire Australian users have for Australian online content, with 14% of survey participants responding that one of their top five reasons for not watching more online video was the lack of original Australian content. They found “most VOD users agree that Australian dramas and documentaries influence conversations around social and cultural issues and help us to debate and understand our national identity” (Screen Australia n.d., p.4) with 73% of Australian’s surveyed strongly agreeing that new and diverse Australian productions were important (ibid. p.31). According to Healy and Cunningham (2017, p.116) approximately 80 to 90 per cent of YouTube content created in Australia is actually consumed internationally.

Australian content projects Australia to the world. It showcases Australian talent, attracts tourism and returns revenue to the economy through our cultural exports.
Australian Department of Communications and the Arts 2017

Case Study: Skip Ahead – A partnership with Google

Source: Screen Australia (https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2019/02-25-skip-ahead-5-recipients-announced)

“Facebook has only just begun evolving into a platform for viewing professional content, and its enormous potential for growth could be a sign of what’s to come from other social media platforms” (Screen Australia n.d., p21). Australian content on YouTube has exploded in recent years, so much so that there are now in excess of 65 channels that have more than one million subscribers (Groves 2017). It has been described by Healy and Cunningham (2017, p.114) as both “radically empowering… and a precarious Darwinian environment in which only the fit survive – and perhaps thrive.” It is fitting then that Screen Australia has partnered with Google to provide a funding program in Skip Ahead that is focused on existing creators with established audience bases, one that will mentor the successful applicants by matching them with experienced production companies to help them forge successful careers that last long beyond the funded project itself. As Keane (2016, p.5428) notes “both producer and viewers/users are becoming more creative in their use of the medium which is in turn forcing content producers to expand into new formats and genres”, something that Screen Australia’s collaboration with YouTube promotes.

Upon launching the Skip Ahead program, which was largely initiated by Google, Fiona Cameron, Screen Australia chief operating officer, highlighted that the program was designed to provide Australian talent with resources to develop episodic storylines and that “YouTube allows breakthrough, cutting edge content to access new audiences anywhere and anytime” (in Groves 2013).

As identified by Craig and Cunningham (2019, p.259), the initial recipients of Skip Ahead funding were “indicative of the main YouTube verticals, with the inclusion of sketch comedy, “how-to” science and car-modification videos, animation for a hipster audience, and a prominent Melbourne vlogger”. Screen Australia has promoted the funding program as an opportunity to “cultivate native Australian “storytelling” online” (ibid.). The projects funded by the Skip Ahead program in this initial round saw the YouTubers divert slightly from their schtick while not alienating their established audiences, as such the car-modification creators actually undertook a trip across Australia where they would meet locals, borrow their cars, and highlight iconic Australian locations (ibid.). The creative teams/channels selected in 2014 included Axis of Awesome, Mighty Car Mods, Louna Maroun who partnered with Neighbours Official (Ric Forster and Alicia Hamilton of FreemantleMedia), SexuaLobster, and Veritasium. You can view more details on the projects here (Screen Australia 2014).

In the years since the original program it has been opened up to both scripted narrative and documentary projects, with applicants able to propose the format of the project with everything from episodic series, stand-alone one-offs, or others being considered and has included alumni such as Aunty Donna, The RackaRacka, BrainCraft, SketchShe, and Superwog. The class of 2019 and Skip Ahead’s fifth round include Chloe Morello, Chloe Ting, Fury Fingers, Neel Kolhatkar and Piéra Forde, which according to Screen Australia (2019) “represent a range of voices from across Australia”. You can view more information on these projects here. As of the 2019 program, the projects funded through Skip Ahead have attained in excess of 40 million views on YouTube in total (ibid.).

Beyond the video views on YouTube, of the projects developed through the Skip Ahead program, a number have gone on to provide launching pads for their creators into other mediums and larger projects. Superwog leveraged their project into a full six-part series with Princess Pictures which premiered on Superwog’s YouTube channel before screening on ABC Comedy and iView (Screen Australia 2018). Similarly, 2017 recipients Skit Box have gone on to be included in the cast of Foxtel’s sketch show The Slotand have a feature film in development with Screen Australia (Skit Box n.d.). SketchShe have also managed to crossover following the phenomenal success of their YouTube channel with the team being recently announced as hosts of the world’s first online-only talent show, Megastars, shot in Los Angeles, and Might Car Mods have been signed to Discovery Networks (Groves 2017). As outlined by Farrell (2017, p.11), short-form content can also provide value to creators and traditional media in gaining insight into whether a longer-form product would resonate with audiences; it can form a testing ground for more resource heavy productions. This could be “because of the massive market for “eyeballs”, it makes sense to covet the spoils of the television industry, and this includes buying the resources of competitors, including streaming video sites, [and] commissioning new content” (Keane 2016, p.5436).

Healy and Cunningham (2017, pp.116-117) interviewed six previous recipients of Skip Ahead funding who identified four key benefits to their artistic and professional development the program provided:

Artistic satisfaction and creative autonomy – by allowing the recipients to shift their focus from meeting YouTube’s ever-changing algorithms that prefer daily uploads to increase search rankings
Allowed for higher production value, longer-form products – which creators have used as pitches to other distributers, including broadcast networks
Cross collaboration with established screen producers – allowing for the creators to gain valuable insight into forging a long-lasting sustainable career in the Australian screen industry
Artistic awareness-raising – allowing for creators to gain a greater understanding of the limitations and eccentricities of the YouTube platform compared to other platforms (i.e. YouTube’s preference for short-form narrative as opposed to long-form with high production values)

Action plan & recommendations

In order to fully realise the opportunities to fully embrace the digital disruption in the screen industry, the following recommendations are posited for Screen Australia and Google’s Skip Ahead program.

1. Focus on entrepreneurship and innovation

Services such as YouTube do not favour the creator. While there are numerous stories of the YouTube superstar earning millions a year from their videos, the reality is that a large percentage of them do not rely on ad revenue alone. As Martin (2015, p.8) attests viewers aren’t crazy about commercials with YouTube pre-roll advertisements (those that play prior to the video) often leading viewers to switch off and not view the video itself. He suggests that the average creator only think of ad revenue as supplementary revenue and that alternative monetization and diversified income stream opportunities need to become the focus. As such, “creators must harness free-flowing creativity, hard work and entrepreneurial business acumen to build up diversified income streams and make a decent living” (Healy and Cunningham 2017, p.115). Screen Australia should ensure that their Skip Ahead program provides guidance and mentorship in entrepreneurship and innovation, to help the program participants to diversify and ensure that their creative practice can be self-sustainable.

2. Focus on facilitating ongoing mentoring and the promotion of management skills and exposure

As identified by Healy and Cunningham (2017, p.115) many successful YouTubers “have had to endure horror (non-YouTube) management contracts before they were savvy enough to secure trustworthy contracts and managers”. This is not a situation unique to YouTube or online media. Sudden fame and success can be detrimental to the careers of those who are unprepared for it. By facilitating ongoing mentorship relationships and promoting an understanding of the mechanisms of the business it can open up additional opportunities for creators for additional income streams, including product-placement deals, music sales, merchandising, crowd-funding, amongst many others.

3. Focus on mentorship and education for new and emerging creators

While the Skip Ahead program is aimed at established YouTubers, there is value in Screen Australia utilising the program as a way of connecting with a wider creator base. They could partner with online video creator conferences such as VidCon Australia to promote education and mentorship for emerging creators. This sector of amateur creators could become the future of Australia’s screen industry and developing this talent should be high on Screen Australia’s agenda. The ability to gain insight from industry leaders would be invaluable with nuggets such as Valleyarm managing director, Victor Gugger’s suggestion that “aspiring YouTubers make one video per week for a year, connect with their fans, link all their social media to their YouTube channel, and make a video with an established YouTuber” (in Healy and Cunningham 2017, p.120).

Screen Australia’s partnership with Google in the Skip Ahead program is producing next generation talent who are well equipped to embrace digital disruption in the Australian screen industry. Through its focus on supporting the development of innovative online content and the telling of Australian stories, the program is addressing the needs of this changing industry. Programs like Skip Ahead are vital for the industry to survive and thrive as more and more viewers go online for their entertainment. As noted by Google (in Groves 2012) in this climate of digital disruption, “given the right opportunities, Australian creators will continue to tell Australian stories in new and innovative ways”.

References

ABS – see Australian Bureau of Statistic

ACMA – see Australian Communications and Media Authority

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