what building convenience for Gen Z LOOKS like: an HBO Max mini-case study
big news! HBO Max partnered with Snapchat to release this new feature yesterday
what’s this all about?
HBO Max announced yesterday that they partnered with Snapchat to offer full episodes of select series on their platform to Snapchat users, who are able to watch together in the app in groups of up to 64 at a time (not sure when I’d watch a movie with 63 others virtually but still).
how does it work?
open Snap -> open a convo with a friend/friends -> click on the rocket ship -> find HBO Max (called a Snap Mini).
Snap Minis are a continually improving feature of the Snap product suite that allow users to integrate app experiences into their conversations with friends. anything from Headspace to buying movie tickets to playing games together, Minis are an accessible and game-changing integration for many companies looking to target Gen Z (that’s us).
why this, and why now?
what started with Netflix Party, these group streaming experiences are becoming ever-more popular. FaceTime launched an integration for group streaming, and other streaming competitors provide ways for users to watch together as well.
but what’s unique about this launch is the integration into Snap, a platform dominated by Gen Z’s (Snap is used by 90% of 13-24 y/o’s in the most established markets).
all of this comes at a time when Snap continues to demonstrate their level of influence on Gen Z life and culture, with an impressive average of 30 app opens per day.
what can I learn from this?
convenience is king for Gen Z. platforms like Prime Video, Hulu and Disney+ offering group streaming options are great, sure. but they still require you to take significant actions, mobilizing you and your friends to their platforms in order to stream together.
but this is different. this is tapping into the experiences that shape who we are and have become integrated into our lives. this makes it more accessible, easier, and more convenient to enjoy and stream HBO Max content with friends.
what’s more? it’s authentic (yeah another buzz word, great, thanks). truly though - the shows that HBO Max promotes are all buzzworthy; Game of Thrones, Gossip Girl, Euphoria, they are some of the most talked about shows on and off the internet. what HBO Max has done is emphasize the true social aspect of their content, by literally integrating it, for free (yes only 1 ep. but still), into the conversations we have with our friends.
these experiences shape our brand loyalty; not only because of their novelty or accessibility, but because of their associations. Snap is one of the most influential brands in our lifetime. and the association between Snap and HBO Max is a powerful one that can make our choice, in a sea of choices, just a little bit easier.