Stoa Digest #126: 🔭 Embrace the Unknown 🔭
Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast.
Hello hello readers!
We’re proud to share that another charter cycle has come to a close. Our fellows from C11 & C12 presented their work to the jury this past weekend. For this charter project, we collaborated with GoFynd to create an actual problem statement for their fashion marketplace.
Elsewhere, we’re gearing up for our 15th Cohort, which kicks off in ~5 weeks! Peep some of the new folks on the #introductions channel on Discord. The F1 & Premier League fanbase has seen consistent growth from cohort to cohort.
Cohort 13 just completed their last case weekend as part of their program and have just two sprints left before they graduate and then take on the Charter! Wish them luck.
Till next week folks!
Last week, we hosted Gaurav Jain, Head of Content at RedBull for a Fireside Chat, and here are some of the key insights from the chat. 🔑
What are some of your key insights about India’s content consumption?
Here’s the thing about India. There isn’t one product that appeals to all. Our audience is diverse; languages, cultures, preferences. However, during my stint at Disney Hotstar, I realised that cricket is the ultimate unifier (supported by the fact that this sport is language agnostic). The audience for cricket on the platform grew consistently leading to very high viewerships which eventually made Hotstar a household name among OTTs.
Indian customers are value-conscious. They’ll pay for content if they perceive it as valuable.
Your views on Creating vs. Licensing Content in OTT-
In the realm of entertainment, curation works better than algorithms.
Yeah sure, algorithms can surface content. You can run algo’s to display what could be preferences of the consumer but let’s be honest, not all algo-recommendations are relevant.
This is where curation matters, or an editorial approach to curation driven by intent. Every platform today has extensive libraries of shows, movies etc. but how do you get a diverse audience to discover and engage with that content?
Original content matters. Sure you can rely on licensed IP but original content is how you build brand loyalty overtime and increase retention. The kind of original content you produce, sets you apart from your competition in this space. It is more operationally challenging but if you’re able to create something that a large audience wants to engage with, you have something valuable that you own.
For an OTT platform, finding the right balance between creating original content and licensing popular titles is key to attracting and retaining subscribers. While original content can be a significant draw for new subscribers, a diverse library of licensed content ensures that there are enough options to cater to varied tastes and preferences.
Tips for someone wanting to get into content marketing-
For those aspiring to enter content marketing roles- take risks and don’t be afraid of the unknown. Whether that’s different industries, cities, brands etc. Find a good manager to work for, someone that is tough, fair, and someone you can learn from. Never discount the impact a good manager can have, especially if you are early in your career.
Seek out people you want to work for and when you find them, learn more about them. If you want to be a high-performing player, you need the right coach.
“Faking it till you make it," especially in technical roles doesn’t work one bit. It is a dead end if you go down this route.
If you are someone who is looking to enter into the content space, watch the entire Fireside Chat and unlock the answers to all your questions. 💯
🐝 Community Buzz 🐝
Handam and Yousuf, Stoa Dubai gang vibing!🫂
⏯ For Stoans by Stoans ⏯
Levels of thinking- from mental map to mental atlas
Writing Process of Rajkumar Hirani & Abhijat Joshi
Problem-solving- on strategy, resourceful planning, future of tech & innovation
Leonard Cohen on perfectionism
Orson Welles on Breaking Convention while Shooting Citizen Kane
adios, famo!