Discovery Networks APAC targets Millennials with two new digital partnerships | M&M Global

Discovery Networks APAC targets Millennials with two new digital partnerships

Discovery Networks Asia Pacific has announced two partnerships with multichannel network VS Media and Japanese digital media business Tabilabo, as part of the network’s ambition to transform and accelerate growth in the region.

 Discovery Network

Following its minority investment in VS Media, which has more than 120 million subscribers and 320 million video views a month in Greater China, Discovery is now launching a digital brand solution targeting millennials with the network TANBA which will deliver short-form video content sourced exclusively from Discovery’s global catalogue across a range of genres and localised by VS Media.

These videos will be distributed across the most popular online and social platforms in China including Bilibili, Meipai, WeChat, Weibo, and Youku as well as Facebook and YouTube across other markets in Asia.

“I am thrilled to officially launch the first of many exciting initiatives with Discovery,” said VS Media founder and chief executive officer Ivy Wong. “Tan Ba delivers unique, highly engaging and truly compelling content in a breakthrough format – that has been developed with our local creators and designed specifically for digital savvy, Millennial audiences.

“During beta testing, Tanba generated over 120 million unique views in less than a month with no marketing at all. The average views per video exceeded two million. This is exciting, especially as we look to create new engagement opportunities for audiences and our valued sponsor communities.”

The commercial partnership between Discovery and Tabilabo includes a commercial agreement that will enable advertisers to reach their desired audience via linear, digital and social platforms using the company’s advertising technology and formats and Discovery’s advertisers.

“We are thrilled to partner with Discovery Networks to launch the industry’s first premium video advertising solution across both digital and linear platforms,” commented Tabilabo chief executive officer Shotaro Kushi

“Through this endeavour, we will be able to drive higher engagement amongst Japanese audiences by focusing on media brands and world-class content quality that cannot be realised only with digital–targeted marketing alone.”

Discovery Networks Asia Pacific president and managing director Arthur Bastings added these were the first steps in Discovery’s long-term strategy to accelerate growth in Asia with digital at the core.

“We are deeply committed to engaging more viewers across more screens than ever before, building our presence on new platforms and attracting young passionate communities that advertisers want to reach with unique branded content opportunities through VS Media and Tabilabo’s extensive networks and strong base of millennial audiences.”

The partnerships are part of Discovery’s bid to create customised content for a “mobile first” Millennial audiences, building on its recent deal with Snapchat to share the network’s content on the app.

Anna Dobbie

Reporter

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