The April 2020 launch of Quibi raises interesting questions about streaming in the time of COVID-19. Founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg, the mobile video platform kicks of with 50 shows featuring "quick bites" of 10-minute content, along with a 90-day free trial offer. But will a "new normal" in 2020 culture benefit or detract from Quibi's marketing hook?
Quibi reportedly raised over $1 billion for 175 shows that are scheduled to release during the first year of operation, with the primary investors being Disney, NBCUniversal, and Sony Pictures (to name a few). Quibi subscribers can access content vertically or horizontally on their mobile devices, allowing for an intimate viewing experience that aligns with the times, at least for people who are steadily on-the-go. Cinema purists such as Martin Scorsese may not fully appreciate Quibi's premise, but a world of curious streamers may indeed find value given the star-studded launch lineup. Former Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner headlines the drama Survive, actor Idris Elba hosts the racing show Elba v Block, and hip-hop star Chance the Rapper hosts a reboot of the MTV reality series Punk'd. The Quibi launch also features A-listers such as Jennifer Lopez (Thanks a Million) and Reese Witherspoon (Fierce Queens), and so the celebrity appeal factor won't be a problem.
To complement the original series (drama, comedy, and reality), Quibi also includes a "Daily Essentials" section for news, sports, weather, and culture in general. Once upon a time, these collective quick bites were produced specifically for people who would theoretically be out and about in the world, looking for high quality entertainment during brief moments of relaxation — a world that does not currently exist, thanks to global coronavirus quarantines. Thus, this is both the best of times and also the worst of times for every Quibi investor.
Now that worldwide streamers are locked down at home and practicing social distancing, Quibi's marketing hook has been shattered by COVID-19. Subways won't be packed with people traveling to and from work, and people certainly won't be clamoring together to discuss any big celebrity moments from Quibi productions. Airports are shut down; bars are empty. School is out for the summer. Quibi no longer has the same appeal because consumers suddenly have loads of free time to shift their attention elsewhere.
Everyone knows how and why the world has changed, of course. But the launch of Quibi raises more questions about the escalating Streaming Wars and the relevance of Katzenberg's platform in 2020 COVID-19 society. Would parents rather stare at their phones with their children to watch Quibi content, or would they rather spend the evening watching a proper movie on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.? And now that many theatrical titles are now available to stream at home, albeit for a $19.99 price tag, Quibi could easily be drowned out by streaming services that aim to hook people with a traditional viewing experience. Even Onward can now be quickly accessed on Disney+. The amount of options are seemingly endless, so Quibi will have to launch with a big bang to keep up with the pack.
Oddly enough, April 2020 could be the ideal time to launch a platform like Quibi. If the quick bites resonate with curious streamers at home, and if the marketing strategy is on point, then #Quibi could be a trending hashtag on a daily basis. In terms of genre, the service has everything covered for social distancers, and with big names attached, too. On any given day, several Quibi clips could explode on social media, whether they involve celebrities, reality TV moments, or even quick bites from the culture programs. Each and every Quibi 10-minute clip could go viral in its complete form.
So, how will Quibi market their content on social media? As of now, the Quibi YouTube channel mostly consists of trailers. Moving forward, Quibi may choose to share full videos on Facebook or Twitter to create and maintain buzz, and will undoubtedly use YouTube to promote the biggest moments of the day. One year from now, Quibi will reportedly have around 8,500 available quick bites for consumption, which suggests that the streaming service will indeed be a daily part of pop culture conversations, unless the content is simply awful (unlikely).
What constitutes a Quibi binge? Ten straight episodes, perhaps 20? Or could it be 10 hours of 60 quickies? The public will soon discover if viewers will be living in a Quibi world during the COVID-19 pandemic, or if this is a COVID-19 streaming society that includes Quibi as an outlier option.
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