1 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of Strictly Business on Varieties co 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: editor in chief Andrew Wallenstein. Viacom is best known as 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: the home to iconic TV brands from MTV to Nickelodeon, 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: but younger viewers are fleeing to the Internet and record number, 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: which presents quite a challenge for my next guest. Kelly Day, 6 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: is president of Viacom Digital Studios, whose mission is to 7 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: recapture those young eyeballs. Kelly, thanks for coming in today. 8 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: Thanks thanks for having me so so. I know you've 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: been there for about less than a year, but it's 10 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: been a whirlwind of activity. Walk me through the game plan. 11 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: It has been. Uh, the year has gone very fast, 12 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: Let's put it that way. It has been quite a whirlwind. 13 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: I arrived the week before Thanksgiving last year and we 14 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: pretty much hit the ground running. So, you know, the 15 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: mission of Viacom Digital Studios is really to address you know, 16 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: kind of what you you mentioned and and you know, 17 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: I don't know that I would go so far as 18 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: to say that they're fleeing in droves, but um, you know, 19 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 1: we're we're not pretending that there isn't a big audience, 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: particularly younger audiences who are finding different ways of entertaining themselves. 21 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: And there's a lot of free time being spent by 22 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: young people in particular who just want to sit and 23 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: watch stuff on their phones, you know, and so what 24 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,279 Speaker 1: are you giving them to watch? So what we're giving 25 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,199 Speaker 1: them is, um, well, well I'll stop and say that. 26 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: You know, I think a lot of companies, particularly traditional 27 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: media companies right have kind of paid a little bit 28 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: of lip service to social media, right, Like they've sort 29 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: of used social media. Yeah, it's been promotion, like you know, 30 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: they've basically you know, in the early days, obviously there's 31 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: a lot of contention about like what went up on 32 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: YouTube and stuff like that, and then eventually, you know, 33 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: they got to the point where they would just put 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of clips and stuff like that up there. Um. 35 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 1: I think that at Viacom, the decision to launch Viacom 36 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: Digital Studios by Bob Backish was really you know, driven 37 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 1: out of a real acknowledgement that look, we have two choices. 38 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: We can either pretend that this isn't happening, um, which 39 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: I still think a lot of people do, or we 40 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: can address it head on and say, look, this is 41 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: what the audience is doing. This is where they're spending 42 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: their time, this is what they want. We need to 43 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: figure out ways to make sure that our brands are 44 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: relevant there and that we have content that is really 45 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: going to engage and entertain them. And so my team 46 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 1: was set up really to be able to do that. 47 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: So I was given an abundance of resources. I have 48 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 1: over three hundred people in Viacom Digital Studios and that's 49 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 1: primarily product chin marketing, UH, developments, UM, you know, analytics, research, 50 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: all of that stuff at a very creative driven team, 51 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: and all we do is really focused on thinking about 52 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: how do we reach audiences on these platforms, and a 53 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: lot of this past year has been a lot of 54 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: experimenting and a lot of learning, and it's been really 55 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: interesting because what we found is that UM and and 56 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: some of this we already knew, but but some of 57 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: it was a little bit eye opening, which is that 58 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: it isn't really a one size fits all meaning UM, 59 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: you know I I talked about it obviously earlier today 60 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: on the panel, but UM certainly different audiences engage very 61 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: differently depending on the platform, right So example, so YouTube, 62 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: for example, UM really has evolved into a much more 63 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: kind of lean back longer form experience, which is a 64 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: little bit ironic since they sort of invented the you know, 65 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: break a fourth wall and talk to the camera FORMATUM. 66 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: But what we find now is, you know, a lot 67 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: of kids come home after school and turn their phone 68 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: on and basically sit and watch YouTube well you know, um, 69 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: kind of like like you used to with TV, right UM. 70 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: Whereas on the other hand, you know, obviously i G 71 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: t V launched this year, we've been doing some experiments 72 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: on that. I G t V is still pretty short. UM. 73 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: So even though the format is up to sixty minutes, UM, 74 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: we still see that, you know, it's a lot of 75 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: shorter form content. Snapchat is still pretty short, pretty much 76 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 1: three to five minutes. UM. Facebook is kind of in between, 77 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: I would say, you know, seven to ten minutes, give 78 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: a take. But even within that, it's kind of different 79 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: formats that are working differently for people. UM. And that's 80 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: a lot of what we've been experimenting with. UM. The 81 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: other thing is that even within the same brand, different 82 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: things work on different platforms, and that's been I think 83 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: one of the most eye opening and interesting things to 84 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: me is that, you know, if you look at a 85 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: brand like MTV, for example, right, which is probably one 86 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: of one of our most well known brands, and it's 87 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: an example that people always like to use, right Um. 88 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: And I think you know, every digital studio has said 89 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: we're gonna be the next MTV. Right. Um. The truth 90 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 1: is that MTV has been remarkably successful at reinventing itself 91 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 1: for kind of these new audiences depending on the platform 92 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: that they're on, and and that even extends to linear TV. 93 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, obviously MTV today is pretty different 94 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: than what you know, you and I grew up on 95 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: and what MTV was you know, in the eighties and nineties, right, Um, 96 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: MTV is very different now, but it doesn't mean it's 97 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: any less successful. Like they're producing shows that are you know, 98 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: still getting tremendous ratings. Um. But what MTV is to 99 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: audiences on linear TV, which is its Jersey Shore, It's 100 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: teen Mom, it's you know a lot of these successful 101 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: reality formats on Snapchat, what MTV is is a discover 102 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: channel that has a lot of content that caters to 103 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: teen girls and actually does really really well. And so 104 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:15,160 Speaker 1: for these, um, you know, teenage girls who may not 105 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: necessarily be watching TV, they've kind of discovered MTV on 106 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: Snapchat and they're like, oh, yeah, it's the Snapchat channel, right, 107 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: And it's sort of you know, you're scrolling through your phone, 108 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: you're on snap and you've got BuzzFeed, You've got Vice, 109 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: you've got Refiner, you've got MTV. You know, it's just 110 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: kind of part of the mix of shows. And I 111 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: do think a lot of that has to do with 112 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: the platform in the format, you know. I mean, Snapchat's 113 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: audience is very heavy in thirteen to twenty four UM 114 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: more female skewing stuff really works there, and I think 115 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: in that environment where you've got a lot of different 116 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 1: shows and you're just kind of scrolling through the feed, 117 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: it's natural for MTV to have shows that kind of 118 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: fit in that environment, whereas like on YouTube, for example, 119 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: MTV we've had a ton of success with Wild Now, 120 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: we've had a ton of success with like extensions of 121 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: Jersey Shore and the more traditional UM television formats. So 122 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: that's been a lot of what we've been doing in 123 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: this past year is really understanding what does our audience 124 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: want on every different platform. But it's interesting that it 125 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: seems that you are presuming that your audiences want your 126 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: brands in the first place, For instance, why not Yes, 127 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: you've got MTV and Comedy Central, but why not have 128 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: hatched an entirely new brand that didn't count on some 129 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: sort of legacy idea of a brand that young people 130 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: may not have much sense of. Um, well, I don't 131 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: really see it necessarily as an either or, right, So 132 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: that's sort of the first thing is that, Um, I 133 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: mean the short answer was, Look, these brands already do 134 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: have a lot of scale and a lot of audience 135 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: on these social platforms. I mean, the MTV Facebook page 136 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: has almost fifty million followers, right, So you're starting from 137 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: a point of tremendous scale on these platforms already. And um, 138 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: it's obviously it's always easier to start from a place 139 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: where you already have an audience, You already have a foothold, 140 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: and you say, how do we really engage this audience 141 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: in a new and different way, um, versus you know, 142 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,559 Speaker 1: trying to, as you say, hatch something you know from 143 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: from brand new. Uh. For all the companies who have 144 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: said we're going to be the next MTV, none of 145 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: them have fifty million followers on Facebook, you know. So 146 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: uh so I think that's part of it. But you know, 147 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: the Awesomeness acquisition, for example, that was an opportunity where 148 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: we said, look that's a demo that isn't really served 149 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: by MTV, it isn't really served by Nickelodeon. It fits 150 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 1: kind of right in between it and it is a 151 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: pure play digital brand that has achieved some real scale 152 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: and made a real impact in their audience, which is 153 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: primarily teen girls. And so that made sense for us. 154 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: And so where I think there are additional opportunities for 155 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: us to continue to expand um either by going deeper 156 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: in audiences that we're already in or by expanding to 157 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: audience is currently not served by one of our existing brands. 158 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: Will continue to do that. Let's talk about Awesomeness. The 159 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: interesting backstory being you used to work there. I did. 160 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: So how did this even come to be? Because it 161 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: looked as if Awesomeness got into a place where it 162 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: was a troubled brand and kind of went to viacommet 163 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: a firesale price. What did you guys see in this? 164 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: And again you're seeing this from someone who you were there, 165 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: So so what was the rationale behind this acquisition? Well, look, 166 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: I I will say that I think that you know 167 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: We're going to wake up a year from now and 168 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 1: find that we got the bargain of a lifetime. UM, 169 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: because I think that I think that the company is 170 00:09:55,880 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: fundamentally worth more than um than the situation that was 171 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,719 Speaker 1: you know, in in front of them. UM. Awesomeness has 172 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: a real sound business, right, which is that Awesomeness achieved 173 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: what a lot of other people have been trying to achieve, 174 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: which is step one built a brand primarily on the 175 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: backs of these social platforms like YouTube and others, um, Instagram, etcetera. 176 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: But then step two a meaningful film and television business. UM. 177 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: You know, we we just our most recent movie, To 178 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: All the Boys I've Loved Before, is by every measure, 179 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: been a pretty smashed success. UM. We released it just 180 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: two and a half weeks ago on Netflix. UM. So 181 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: you know that is a real business. UM. You know, 182 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 1: the why did the company end up in the place 183 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: that that it was in? UM, I think a lot 184 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: of it had less to do with a brand and 185 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: more to do with the fact that, unfortunately, you know, 186 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,199 Speaker 1: you had a complicated situation and of you know, kind 187 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 1: of a complicated ownership structure, UM that you know was 188 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: not easily able to resolve itself between the three owners. UM, 189 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: I think, you know, maybe a little bit of lack 190 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: of cohesion about what what the vision and the strategy 191 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: for the company should have been going forward. UM. And 192 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: then you know, obviously with Verizon essentially exiting the media business, Uh, 193 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: you know, that was really you know, you could say, 194 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,439 Speaker 1: kind of the impetus or whatever to put the wheels 195 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: in motion to say, hey, maybe we should do something 196 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: else with this asset. And that totally squares with my 197 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: understanding of that. But also it's not as if you 198 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,960 Speaker 1: guys just took awesomeness and said, okay, keep going. There 199 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: was some pretty significant layoffs, So what's going on there? Um? Look, 200 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: the truth is that, um, most of the layoffs were 201 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: in fact in more back office functions. I mean, the 202 00:11:54,440 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: reality is that the company is able to be more offitable, 203 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 1: more financially viable inside of a larger organization like Viacom, 204 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: where we have finance, we have HR, we have legal, 205 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: we have all of these amazing resources that we can 206 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: put to work for it. UM. And so that was 207 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 1: just sort of a simple exercise of saying, what makes 208 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: sense to make this business as healthy as it possibly 209 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 1: can be. UM. The second piece of it is look, yes, 210 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: the go ninety deal went away, and as part of that, um, 211 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: the production volume coming out of Awesomeness right now is 212 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 1: a little bit lower than it was before, so we 213 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: don't need as many people making as many hours of content. Um. 214 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 1: But the pieces of the business that we're always strong, 215 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:47,199 Speaker 1: we're always healthy, were largely untouched. So for example, you know, 216 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: our television studio which makes shows for Hulu, We've got 217 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 1: two more coming out this fall. Um. We actually added 218 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: people to that organization. UM. The film studio, you know, 219 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 1: Brian Robbins of course as a Paramount players. Brian's over 220 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: at Paramount and he's really excited to you know, now 221 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: be in the business of making Awesomeness films again. And 222 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: so UM, you know, we're definitely looking at, you know, 223 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: a twenty nineteen slate of films and thinking about what 224 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: the film slate would be now in the Paramount environment. 225 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: And the team that you know continues to manage YouTube 226 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,439 Speaker 1: and our social platforms again, same people who have always 227 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: been there, Amazing people. UM. It was really just a 228 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: matter of um, sort of setting the company up for 229 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,959 Speaker 1: success knowing that you know, the go forward operation would 230 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 1: be a little bit different than what it was before, 231 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: but I think it's actually in a good place going forward. 232 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: Now Awesomeness is not the only acquisition on the digital 233 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: side for Viacom. Some interesting stuff and some of this 234 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: may proceeded you who say VIDCN neither I would have 235 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: put on my guessing list of what would end up 236 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: at Viacom. So what are you doing with these new 237 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,959 Speaker 1: pieces and explain these So who Say actually happened right 238 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: around the time that I was coming in and was 239 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: really led more out of our our ad sales organization, 240 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: you know, which is run by Shawn Moran. So his 241 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: team was actually very excited about who Say UM and 242 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 1: and Steve Ellis, who is the CEO of who Say, 243 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: has done a really phenomenal job UM in the last 244 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: nine months since he's been with the company. UM. But 245 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: that was really about sort of extending the offerings and 246 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: the opportunities to our our advertising clients and and you know, 247 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: making sure that we really have a great solution in 248 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: the market for people who are interested in partnering with 249 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: influencers and working with celebrities in different kinds of ways. UM. 250 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: Vid Kan is something that I I did literally jump 251 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: up and down on the table and said we absolutely 252 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: need to do this. Um. You know, Viacom has been 253 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: uh very interested in and investing more in experiential and 254 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: live experiences in general. Right, So, um, this year I 255 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: think did more live events. Maybe that I might be 256 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 1: speaking out of term, but I feel like we've done 257 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: more live events this year than then we ever have. 258 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: You know, we brought slime Fest, which is our Nickelodeon 259 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: festival over from the UK and launched that in Chicago. 260 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: We had our second year of Clusterfest, which is comedy centrals. Um. 261 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: MTV continues, Um, you know to focus on movie and 262 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: TV awards and v M a s and ile of MTV. 263 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: You know, they've got a bunch of different events and 264 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: you know, for for me, I think the opportunity with 265 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: vid Con is kind of twofold one is that um, 266 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: you know, if if you look and this is you know, 267 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: small world, but if you look at some of the 268 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: success that Awesomeness actually had in the branded content space 269 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: and working with partners like Hollister and stuff, vid Con 270 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: ironically was actually a big piece of that. Right And so, um, 271 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: when you're going out and you're offering solutions to advertisers 272 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: being able to connect across different content types. They want 273 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: across platform worms, so they don't just want to buy 274 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: one platform, they want to buy across all the social 275 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: platforms and more and more. What we're finding is sophisticated 276 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: advertisers understand that experiential and being able to physically connect 277 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 1: with consumers around these like fomo events and stuff um 278 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: is critically important and they want to be part of it. 279 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: They want to find a way to be in there 280 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: UM And you know, vid Con has for almost ten years, 281 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: it'll be our tenure Innivert Big Contenu Anniversary in twenty 282 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: nineteen been the biggest event to really um connect with 283 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: with both fans but also with these influencers. And I 284 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: think the thing that people find so powerful about Big 285 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: Con when they go, and the reason why you know, 286 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: you see the studios now coming into big can you 287 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: see a lot of brands coming into VidCon in a 288 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: big way, is because when they get there, they see 289 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: this intersection of these rabid fans who are screaming and 290 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: ying and like running and you know, trying to connect 291 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 1: with their their favorite you know, influencers. You've got these 292 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 1: influencers who are just bigger than than Brad Pitt, bigger, 293 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: you know, like they're these larger than life personalities. And 294 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: then you have the industry that's kind of like now 295 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 1: in the industry track is actually our fastest growing piece 296 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: of it, right, So the industry track, you know, all 297 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: coming together. It is that intersection that I think is 298 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: kind of unique about big Con and has what made 299 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: brands like UM, like Hollister or this year we had UM, 300 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: you know, some of the Mars brands there with us. 301 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,919 Speaker 1: We also had UM, a bunch of the studio brands 302 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 1: there with us. UM. They get it, like it's really 303 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: powerful UM. And so I think for us, the opportunity 304 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 1: to have big Con as part of the portfolio to 305 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: help think about how to expand that around the world. 306 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: So international is a big focus for us. We announced 307 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: that we're launching London UM in February to have that 308 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: as a solution to or marketing wartners and are our 309 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: advertising clients, like it just made so much sense UM. 310 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: And now you know, the other opportunity that we're starting 311 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: to think about is, you know, is there an opportunity 312 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: for bid Con to really be more of a three 313 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: sixty five day year brand right, Like, how do we 314 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: how do we think about connecting with these audiences you know, 315 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: year round outside of just the live events, and so, 316 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: you know, much in the way that Variety started as 317 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: a publication and has a huge events business, I think 318 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: we're sort of thinking in the other direction, right, how 319 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: do how does bid con go from being just a 320 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: live experience to you know, maybe being more of a 321 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: media brand. So that's something that Jim Lauterbach is spending 322 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 1: a lot of time thinking about. Sounds like you're all 323 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: in on influencers in general. Um, is that safe to say? 324 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,360 Speaker 1: I mean, there's certainly been some criticism about, oh, there's 325 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,959 Speaker 1: tough to work with and sometimes the branded content doesn't work. 326 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: But I mean I think, look, I think we've kind 327 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: of transcended like as an influencer, right, to be totally honest, Like, 328 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:04,640 Speaker 1: I think if you had asked me that like three 329 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: or four years ago, I would have said, yeah, absolutely. 330 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 1: But like the talent themselves have evolved a lot um 331 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: in both directions, right, which is that you know even 332 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: five years ago, Um, I don't think you would have 333 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: seen you know, A great example would be like Will Smith, right, 334 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: I mean Will Smith's YouTube channel is on fire, right, 335 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: He's killing it right now. UM, I don't know if 336 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,239 Speaker 1: you would have seen that five years ago. And you know, 337 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: we we do see more and more, um people that 338 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:40,199 Speaker 1: you would consider traditional celebrities right moving very aggressively and 339 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: becoming very savvy about how to uh use social platforms 340 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: and and use digital platforms UH in a way to 341 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 1: really reach audiences and connect with audiences and open up 342 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: business opportunities. You know, look at what Reese Witherspoon is 343 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: doing with Hell of Sunshine, Like they're they're really smart 344 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: about saying, Okay, this is a whole other world where 345 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: I have a lot more creative control. I can talk 346 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: directly to my audience, like I, you know, I don't 347 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 1: necessarily um have to abide by the old rules, and 348 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: I can you know, have control and build my own business. 349 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: At the same time, you've got a what you would 350 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:19,640 Speaker 1: consider an influencer, right, someone like Liza Kochi, for example, 351 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: who the the amount of platforms that she has not 352 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: just transcended, but like conquered at this point is amazing. 353 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: I mean, like she is absolutely amazing. And you know, 354 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: she was the host of Double Dare for Us on 355 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: Nickelodeon this summer, she was a host of TRL. She 356 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: did an amazing job on that. Um we've worked with 357 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: her in you know, more traditional digital capacity. You know, 358 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,159 Speaker 1: Liza started a couple of years ago actually, you know, 359 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: doing uh scripted television for awesomeness. She was the star 360 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: of um uh Freakish a few years ago. And so, 361 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: you know, would you consider Lisa now to be an influencer, 362 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: I don't know, like what I mean, She's just a star. 363 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: You know, she's a star. People love her. You know, 364 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: she can do anything, she can act, she can host, 365 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: she you know, she still has a huge YouTube channel, 366 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 1: she still has a you know, huge social presence. So 367 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: I think the point is the lines are really really 368 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: blurry now. And I think at the end of the day, 369 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: like we're in the business of partnering with talent and 370 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: developing shows and formats and things like that with talent 371 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: that are going to make sense depending on the platform 372 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,120 Speaker 1: that they're on. And let's talk about platforms because those 373 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: are your partners now as well. In the same way 374 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: that Viacom would worry about Comcast and Charter, you now 375 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: need to deal with Facebook and Snapchat. What is it 376 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 1: like the monetization challenges have been discussed, all sorts of things. 377 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: I mean, are you getting a sense at one platform 378 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 1: is better than another? What's going on? Look across the board. 379 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: One of the things that I would say has been 380 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 1: most gratifying for me coming into this role at Viacom 381 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:16,679 Speaker 1: is the tremendous support, respect um, just overwhelming sense of 382 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: collaboration that we've really got from all of the platforms. Um. 383 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:28,120 Speaker 1: It has been a tremendous uh surprise and amazing upside um. 384 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: They've all been really phenomenal. Um. You know, there's a 385 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: bunch of different nuances in that, right, Which is it 386 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: sort of depends on the platform you're talking about, right, 387 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,160 Speaker 1: Because I think one of the mistakes in the industry 388 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: right now is people like to take all of the 389 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: social video platforms and sort of lump them into one bucket, right, 390 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: And the truth is, like they have very different strategies, 391 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: the audiences behave very differently on them, they have different 392 00:22:54,359 --> 00:23:00,640 Speaker 1: monetization opportunities. Um. And the biggest us and for us 393 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: has been that we really have to think about working 394 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: with each of them very distinctly, right. Um. But it's 395 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,439 Speaker 1: harder to pin a like better or worse, right like 396 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: they're all sort of in different phases and trying different things. UM. 397 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: I think YouTube obviously, you know, the way that YouTube 398 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: has evolved and is really in some respects maybe the 399 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: most mature of the platforms, right is you've got your 400 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: free ad supported piece of YouTube, which of course has 401 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: always been there for that. We're really focused on building 402 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:38,199 Speaker 1: and growing and engaging audiences. UM from a pure monetization 403 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 1: through pre role and things like that. It's certainly, um, 404 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 1: one of the easiest to monetize, you know, UM, it's 405 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 1: it's a six second spot, a fifteen second spot, a 406 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:50,719 Speaker 1: thirty second spot, and we can package and sell that 407 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:52,679 Speaker 1: in the upfront. We can package and sell that with 408 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: branded content. We can sell that pretty much anyway we 409 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: would sell any other thirty second spot. So that's a 410 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 1: very mature monet monetized platform UM. And then of course 411 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: you know there's the incremental opportunities with YouTube premium, UH, 412 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: the m v P D service, etcetera, etcetera, which you 413 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 1: know continue to be opportunities across the board for viacom. 414 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 1: UM Awesomeness has a season four of Foursome coming out soon, 415 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: so you know, we continue to work with Suzanne and 416 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:25,360 Speaker 1: the team on the premium side as well. Um, Facebook. 417 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 1: You know, Facebook has been been a great partner to 418 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: us in that. Uh, they want to try different things 419 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:37,919 Speaker 1: with us, you know, so Um, they've been very collaborative. 420 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: They give us a lot of feedback and a lot 421 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: of information about Hey, here's what we're looking for, here's 422 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: what's working. Um. They've given us a lot of frankly 423 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 1: great advice about how to just like building and engage 424 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: the audience there, because, like I said, that is a 425 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 1: platform where we have a really large footprint. And what 426 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: we were trying to do is say, look, we have 427 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: this huge footprint, how do we really like connect with 428 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: people right, like not just have a like, which is 429 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,439 Speaker 1: you know obviously very passive, but how do we like 430 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 1: really engage the audience. And the team at Facebook was 431 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: incredible about like really diving in with us and saying 432 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: here's how you do it. And we had a lot 433 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: of success very fast there, I think. On the Facebook 434 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,199 Speaker 1: Watch side, um, you know, we've done a bunch of 435 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:25,879 Speaker 1: shows with them. Uh they've had mixed performance. Um, some 436 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: of them have done really really well. We are a 437 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,919 Speaker 1: partner with them on the Alpha program for the pre 438 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: role in mid role. You know that they've been testing out. 439 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 1: I know there's been a lot of people, uh talking 440 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: about the fact that they're sort of inserting mid role 441 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 1: into awkward places. So, UM, I think over time that 442 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: will continue to sort itself out. UM. You know, if 443 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: that gets solved, if there is a real opportunity for 444 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 1: media on Facebook, for partners like us, UM, I mean, 445 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:01,639 Speaker 1: that could be an enormous monitors ay, an opportunity. UM. 446 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: It is early days, so we'll see how it goes. 447 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: And then Snapchat, you know, we obviously uh Viacom has 448 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 1: had a tight relationship with Snapchat for a long time, right, 449 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: so we had a really big ad sales partnership early on. 450 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: Then Jeff Lucas went over to Snapchat and obviously ran 451 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: out sales at Snapchat for a long time. So we've 452 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: been pretty deep with snap for for a pretty long time. UM. 453 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 1: I think that things have evolved to a point now 454 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: there where they really come to us and say, hey, 455 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 1: we have an idea, can you help us think about 456 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: how to produce this? Right, Like, we've had a lot 457 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:42,400 Speaker 1: of success. They're building and developing shows with them, So 458 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,160 Speaker 1: we figured out what works with them, We figured out 459 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: kind of how they like to work in the process 460 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: around notes and stuff like that, and so we're sort 461 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: of settled into a good rhythm there right now, and 462 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:57,199 Speaker 1: we're actually getting ready to UM expand we've mostly been 463 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: focused on MTV. We're getting ready to launch a new 464 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 1: show with b t UM that we were in production 465 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 1: with them on right now. We've got a couple of 466 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 1: Comedy Central ideas that we've been talking to them about 467 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: UM and and obviously Awesomeness as well. So uh, and 468 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 1: there you know, we we do have the sales rights UM. 469 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: We continue to sell sponsorships and brand integrations and things 470 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 1: like that, and that's gone perfectly fine. So one last question, 471 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: give us an example of a piece of content coming 472 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 1: out of the studio in the coming weeks and months 473 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 1: that you think will make some noise for you guys. 474 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: Oh gosh. You know, sometimes things come out of places 475 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 1: that that you don't really expect them to. Like, I 476 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: think very recently, we just launched this mini mockumentary show 477 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: UM with Comedy Central and it was it was one 478 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: of those where we thought it was a really good format, 479 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: we thought it was gonna work, and then it launched 480 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:57,880 Speaker 1: and we were like holy. How like the first week 481 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 1: we launched it, it got twenty three million views uh 482 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: in the first week, and we were like, wow, I 483 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: mean just really took off like wildfire. You know, if 484 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 1: you had asked me a few months ago, is that 485 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: going to be the show? I would have been like, 486 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,120 Speaker 1: I don't, oh, you know, maybe, um, but it has 487 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 1: really been, um a home run. Um you know, I 488 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: I think coming up, UM, we've got a new Nickelodeon 489 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 1: show that we're launching on YouTube, which we actually announced 490 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 1: at the upfront in the spring and it's finally launching 491 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,160 Speaker 1: in the next couple of weeks, which I'm really excited about. 492 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: Our first animated series. UM. It's called The Jojo and 493 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 1: Bobo Show Show with Jojo Siwa. So I think that 494 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: will be a really interesting one because you have someone 495 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: like Jojo who is like internet gold right, Like she's 496 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: such a big star on YouTube. Um, and and we've 497 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: been trying to think for a while about how to 498 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: develop something really around her. She has this dog, Bobo, um, 499 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 1: and she travels a lot of places with the dog 500 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 1: and stuff, and um, so the idea of doing an 501 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: animated series. Jojo does the voice over, it's her and 502 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,720 Speaker 1: the dog Um. I think it's gonna be really cute 503 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: and really fun and launching in a couple of weeks, 504 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: so across your fingers. Well, good luck with Jojo and 505 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: a lot more, and thanks for coming in to talk 506 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: to me. Thanks, thanks for having me. It's fun. That's 507 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: been another episode of Correctly Business. Tune in next week 508 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: for more interesting conversations with some of the brightest minds 509 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 1: and media. Let us know what you think of the podcast. 510 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: Either drop a comment to the iTunes store or send 511 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: us an email at podcasts at variety dot com.