"Netflix is available in almost every country in the world, and has nearly as many subscribers as there are people in the United States. But the company seems to be searching for something more: a way to bring all of those users together. In May, it reimagined the Tudum live event-its annual, Comic-Con-like celebration of the platform's most beloved titles-as a variety show, complete with a Lady Gaga performance at the Kia Forum, in Los Angeles."
"For the most part, however, the audience stayed siloed in their own groups, cheering for the franchises they already liked. Subscribers who streamed the event at home seemed to act similarly: Abigail De Kosnik, an associate professor at UC Berkeley who studies fandoms, admitted to me that she "just forwarded through to the shows that I watch." As it turned out, just because fans were in the room together didn't mean they'd be fans of everything."
"Yet Netflix seems eager to raise its own generation of devotees-something akin to the "Disney adults," who incorporate their love for the world of Mickey Mouse (and his many friends) into their lifestyle. Netflix doesn't offer theme parks, decades' worth of merchandise, or an extensive coterie of fairy-tale princesses for fans to dress up as every Halloween. But it has a clear interest in pursuing such ventures: The streamer has announced an immersive year-round installation opening later this year in Philadelphia and Dallas."
Netflix reaches nearly every country and rivals the U.S. population in subscriber count. The company repackaged Tudum as a variety-show live event with a Lady Gaga performance to unite disparate fan bases and promote engagement with existing and new titles. Many attendees and streaming viewers remained loyal to their preferred franchises and skipped unrelated segments, demonstrating persistent fan silos. Netflix aims to cultivate devoted fans similar to "Disney adults." The company lacks theme parks and decades of merchandise but is expanding into physical experiences, announcing immersive year-round installations in Philadelphia and Dallas.
Read at The Atlantic
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