Natalia Scalia, SVP, Head de Direct-to-Consumer de The Walt Disney Company Latin America, spoke about the strategy behind Disney’s new OTT service, which arrived in the region on August 31, offering a unique content catalog curated specifically for Latin audiences as a complement to Disney+.
Following a successful launch for Disney+ in November of last year, The Walt Disney Company Latin America launched its new OTT platform, Star+, on August 31 across Latin America.
The platform arrived in the region with a unique strategy, designed specifically to suit Latin audiences’ demands and needs.
“The strategy in LatAm has a different approach”, explained Natalia Scalia, SVP, Head of Direct-to-Consumer, The Walt Disney Company Latin America, in a press conference in which ttv participated. “While in many countries it’s offered as another element within Disney+, with a more limited content offer; in Latin America we have different things”.
DISNEY+ and STAR+, COMPLEMENTARY OFFERS FOR ALL AUDIENCES
The first item in which the strategy for Latin America differs from the one used in other territories is in the Star+ offer, which, unlike Disney+, is aimed at a more adult audience and has a strong sports component.
“Disney+ came to this region very strong, with a clear space and a presence in homes, especially with content aimed at kids and family. The brands that make up Disney+ have that affinity with that audience and we believe that its positioning is so strong that we want to maintain it,” the executive summarized.
“So when it comes to Star+, the decision to present it as an independent product is because of how complementary it is for Disney+ and its focus on a more adult audience is understood. We want to be a benchmark for adult entertainment content, generating a specific personality and a clear value for that audience,” she added.
“Also, something that did not happen in the rest of the world, but does happen in Latin America with Star+ is the possibility of integrating sports content with ESPN,” she stressed. This is the first time in Latin America that ESPN will be able to be accessed through streaming, independently of pay TV, offering multiple competitions and shows produced in Argentina.
“Thus, we found a very powerful possibility of having an individual, vertical offer that stands in a unique place in the streaming universe in the region, giving consumers the possibility to combine the two platforms at a preferential price.”
The subscription to Star+ has a cost of around US$ 10 in Latin America, varying according to the local currency of each country, and it can be acquired independently or in a “Combo” format together with Disney+ at a more affordable price.
INVESTMENT IN LOCAL PRODUCTION
In addition to ESPN’s extensive live sports offering, Star+ offers the full catalog of 20th Television animated comedies and exclusive Star international original productions, plus 66 Latin American original productions.
“We work a lot not only on global content, which already has an important floor of relevance in our region with titles such as The Simpsons, The Walking Dead, This Is Us or Lost, among others,” said the executive.
“But also in local original productions in the region, with more than 66 original productions to be launched exclusively on Star+, to premiere in 2021 and 2022; as well as the 70 that will be premiered on Disney+, which makes up a catalog of more than 130 exclusive titles that will be premiered in our portfolio in the region, “she added. “Thus, we will talk much more about the issues that make Latin America and put our icons and local stars on the screen.”
“The expectations for the region are great. We look at the business as a whole, we are going to measure how we reach subscribers through the three options we have available: Disney+, Star+ and the Combo+. Expectations are high, the region is important and we expect great results,” she concluded.
