Paramount Plus New Streaming Service: Climbing for Subscribers

  Patrick Stewart and Stephen Colbert welcome stars and subscribers to Paramount Plus

Patrick Stewart and Stephen Colbert welcome stars to Paramount Plus new streaming service
Patrick Stewart and Stephen Colbert welcome stars to Paramount Plus new streaming service for Super Bowl promo. Courtesy of Paramount Plus

 

Formerly known as CBS – All Access, Paramount Plus is a rebranding of the streaming service that will be launching on March 4th in the US and Latin America. According to the company, Canada will also receive a glimpse of the content provided by the streamer stating that an “expanded offering” will be available in an undefined future time.

 

VIACOM CBS, being one of the world’s largest producers of quality content, will nurture the Paramount Plus project with content from its different brands. MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and of course the flagship CBS will be available for those consumers who demand these well renowned television channels. To make the pot even sweeter, those who are willing to pay the subscription fee will have access to the wide range of movies produced by the Paramount Pictures studio.

A Constellation of Stars climb Paramount Plus New Streaming Service

Leading up to the event, the celebrated advertising agency Droga5, informed and entertained potential customers with a Super Bowl promo titled “Journey to the Peak” that saw some of the biggest names on the VIACOM CBS roster climb their way to their new home.  Re watching the five spots that make up the campaign launch on Instagram one could clearly identify some big names, parading up an icy mountain to get to their metaphorical new home. The commercial was even tongue in cheek with its literal and metaphorical balance, proving that they weren´t shy about being self-aware. Amongst the big names were James Corden, Stephen Colbert, Dj, Khaled, Christine Baranski, Patrick Stewart, Tom Selleck and Ethan Peck, not to mention a cameo by Jersey Shore´s “Snookie” whose character was apparently too hung over for the trek. Speaking of Trek, several intellectual properties also made their way up the mountain including Star Trek, Dora the Explorer, Survivor, Beavis and Butthead and the MTV Astronaut.

A Competitive Price for an Avalanche of Content

The streaming service will have different pricing depending on your comfort level regarding advertisements. A more affordable price of $5.99 will include ads and a heftier $9.99 price tag will get you ad free watching, to your hearts content. Will VIACOMCBS rebrand of CBS All Access prove to be the pivot they need to stay alive in the streaming wars? Only time will tell if Paramount Pictures can fend off Netflix, Disney+, HBO MAX, HULU and Amazon prime to become king of the streaming service mountain.

The Paramount Plus new Streaming Service: A Snowball Effect

The Canadian Media Fund has published a recent trend report titled Pause and Rethink that evaluates how marketing and distribution streaming services will impact the future of the screen industries. The document delves into the importance of virtual production to offset the reduced number of cast and crew available on set due to COVID restrictions, and at the same time evaluates the importance of developing strategies to better position Canadian content in the midst of the streaming services wars.

With Paramount Plus joining the fight for consumer eyeballs, marketing trends are getting more sophisticated, in the sense that, new content has only a 28 day grace period that will define whether the investment was a success or not. The report, written by Kelly Lynn Ashton and others emphasizes the need for better strategies for Canadian productions in the global direct to consumer market, this due to the fact that streamers are keen on acquiring full rights to the intellectual properties and distribution, diminishing opportunities for the producers.

ViacomCBS had announced the rebrand of the CBS All Access services as early as September 2020, and will be using this year´s Super Bowl as the main platform to let consumers know that they have the intention of reaching the streaming services summit.  Will they make it? For now we can only say that they are getting recognition for the production value and creativity of their promo, especially during pandemic times.

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