Netflix leads the ranking with more than 300 local original titles available, followed by Globoplay and HBO Max, according to a new analysis by BB Media. Is it a winning strategy for OTTs in the region?
As competition increases with more players taking to the pitch, OTT platforms are sticking to the old rule of the entertainment world where “content is king”. And within that content, it is original productions that act as bait to attract subscribers and users to the screen.
Thus, in the first quarter of 2023, hundreds of premieres of original OTT titles were registered in Latin America.
Analyzing the local original content, Netflix leads the ranking with a total of 361 titles available in its catalog, according to a new report by BB Media, followed by Globoplay with 74 content and HBO Max with 67 titles.
Additionally, Netflix is the platform that adds the most local original content per month in Latin America. In March 2023, the streaming service added a total of 46 original titles to its catalog, including 2 Mexican productions, ¿Encontró lo que buscaba? (2023) and La ley de la selva (2023), and El Cartel de los Sapos: El Origen (2021), a Colombian series.
On the other hand, it is worth noting that over 47% of the local original content added to the catalogs of these platforms during the first quarter corresponds to 2023 releases, followed by 40% released in 2022. Regarding premiere*releases, Netflix continues to stand out as the platform that has incorporated the most local content into its library. Among them, 2 highly acclaimed productions by the audience are included: Eva Lasting (2023) and ‘División Palermo‘ (2023), both with a score of 8.2.
Within the main markets of Latin America, Netflix remains the undisputed leader in terms of original content. As a streaming giant, it seeks to stay at the forefront of entertainment and continues to expand its presence in LATAM. It has invested significant sums of money in producing original content in the region’s own language to satisfy its local audiences.
Another prominent platform in the industry that stands out for its focus on the Brazilian market and original content is Globoplay. Currently, 99% of all its productions are local. Globoplay has made a strong commitment to Documentary series: during the last quarter, it has released content such as Boate Kiss: A Tragédia de Santa Maria (2023), Sou Corinthians (2023), O Repórter do Poder (2023), and extremistas.br (2023), the latter recently launched in the international market and presented at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Similarly, we observe ViX challenging the big streaming names within the Mexican territory. In February 2023, they announced a multimillion-dollar investment in original content production. Some of the announced and in-production content for 2023 by the platform includes El Gallo de oro, Se llamaba Pedro Infante and Reconexión: México, among others. With these new projects, ViX aims to consolidate its position and attract the Hispanic audience.
It is also important to highlight that the launch of their Subscription VOD business model in late July 2022 has piqued users’ curiosity, as the platform included ‘ViX Originals’ in its catalog. Furthermore, among the genres offered by the platform, Drama is the predominant one, and its main productions target the Mexican market. This suggests that their fundamental strategy aims to consolidate and entertain primarily the Spanish-speaking audience.
Currently, streaming platforms are putting a strong focus on content production in countries like Mexico and Brazil, followed by Argentina and Colombia. Although Drama is one of the most popular genres in locally produced original content releases, Mexico has stood out with the launch of 2 reality shows: ‘El heredero: la dinastía del freestyle’ (2023), premiered on Star+, based on the search for new Latin American talents in the freestyle scene; and, on the other hand, ‘La ley de la selva’ (2023), released on Netflix, where 12 participants showcase their physical skills to compete for a million-dollar prize.
Will the streaming giants continue to invest in these markets? It is undeniable that the major investment is aimed at creating original content, which allows the platforms to stand out and offer users a unique and exclusive experience through innovative productions.
Written by: Cintia Medina (Multiscreens+ Operations Leader at BB Media)
