As major streamers turn attention to broader-based offerings and up the amount of unscripted content in their catalogs, Apple TV, albeit smaller than leading SVODs, appears to be bucking the trend with a continued strategy centered on premium scripted TV shows and titles.
In doing so the streaming service has nabbed awards acclaim and resulting subscriber signup boosts, per Antenna. And according to Ampere Analysis, Apple TV has invested heavily in scripted titles that drive strong viewer engagement and conversation, helping to support a growing narrative and carve out market positioning as a place for high-quality hits that the likes of HBO and Netflix were historically known for.
“Apple chose a unique strategy in the global streaming market with a relentless focus on quality over quantity,” stated Guy Bisson, executive director at Ampere Analysis. “While other streamers are increasingly moving towards a generalist content mix where unscripted content is becoming central, Apple TV has invested heavily in premium scripted shows that continue to drive strong viewer engagement, positive word of mouth and awards recognition. The streamer is doubling down on that strategy, showing that taking the path less trodden pays dividends in a fiercely competitive market.”
Bisson recently presented that message, alongside fresh data from the firm, earlier this month at MIPCOM in Cannes.
Per Ampere, Apple TV stands out in the U.S. as the only major global streamer to increase the volume of scripted content in its catalog (while slightly reducing unscripted) – reflecting the streamer’s continued move to position itself as the home of premium scripted drama in a crowded and competitive entertainment space.
That contrasts to other global streamers, Ampere noted, which are looking to advertising for future growth and for which unscripted content has grown in importance as part of the wider library mix.
“All major streamers have significantly increased the volume of unscripted content to drive rapid content refresh, ongoing engagement and repeated viewing to retain customers and engage advertisers,” wrote Ampere in its analysis.
To put some stats to it, Ampere found Apple TV’s catalog has the lowest proportion of unscripted content among all streamers at 18%. That compares to 25% unscripted for Netflix, 35% for Prime Video, 43% Paramount+, 51% for Disney+ and 72% for HBO Max based on content hours. Note, Ampere said the particularly large jumps in unscripted content for Disney+ and HBO Max are driven by the integration of Hulu content and discovery+ content to the platforms, respectively,
The focus on premium scripted content that engages viewers is echoed in Apple TV’s title-level performance data based on Showlabs (part of Ampere Analysis).
Based on Showlabs viewing data, only three of Apple TV’s top 100 US titles for September were unscripted (Documentaries The Dynasty: UConn Huskies, Twisted Yoga and Prehistoric Planet). That contrasts to Netflix, which had 15 unscripted titles among its top 100 performing titles in the same period.
Showlabs data also found perennial scripted favorites and newer release titles were among the Apple TV’s top 10 performing titles in September (through September 14).
That includes No. 1 fan favorite Ted Lasso with 3.3 million views in the U.S. as viewers tuned into Season 4; No. 2 Paramount-produced Apple TV original movie Mayday with 2.1 million views; No. 3 Silo with 1.5 million views; No. 4 Dark Matter with 1.2 million views – just ahead of No. 5 Widow’s Bay – the latter which has held that position since August with 1.1 million views.
Emmy wins drive Apple TV signup boost
Apple’s focus on premium scripted has also gained awards recognition, outpacing other streamers and as well as broadcast networks at this year’s Emmys as it won 29 awards (in contrast to HBO’s 21).
The aforementioned Widow’s Bay played a large role, with the series taking home 14 awards alone, including Outstanding Comedy Series.
And while TVREV analyst Alan Wolk has zeroed in on the Emmys waning viewership and perhaps relevance, recent data from Antenna shows the awards wins (and specifically Widow’s Bay) may still impact subscriber acquisition and coincided with a surge in signups for the Apple TV SVOD to view that title – representing 2x more than the Widow’s Bay premiere in April.
Per Antenna, in the 14 days following the show’s April premiere, an estimated 153,000 users signed up for Apple TV, but signups driven by viewing of the title jumped to approximately 300,000 in the same period after the Emmys. The awards show wins for the title also influenced faster signups to Apple TV, with Antenna estimating 52,000 in the first three days after Widow’s Bay premiere compared to approximately 93,000 sign-ups in the same period after the Emmys.
The firm also noted significant signup volume overall on the heels of the TV show's award wins, as those two weeks after the Emmys equal almost half the number of sign-ups that Widow’s Bay brought to Apple TV over its first three months.
Wolk too, in his column, commented on Apple’s awards dominance and success at delivering premium hits – even if ambitions and role of the service for its tech behemoth parent is still somewhat unclear.
As the analyst noted, Apple TV has an impressive lineup of first-run hits like mega-popular Ted Lasso.
“But they have no library whatsoever and that prevents them from being seen as a real competitor to companies like Netflix or Disney,” wrote Wolk, while also noting it seems the service is being leveraged as a marketing device and a way to remind viewers of Apple’s core values.
Still, he continued, “They’ve created shows that satisfy critics without leaving the masses scratching their heads because they don’t really get it.
This, if you recall, was the slam against ‘Peak TV’--that it was, as a famous leaked memo from a highly-placed Hollywood executive noted, ‘snobby shows that nobody watches.’
Apple’s shows are anything but snobby, and yet they manage to stand out in a way that is very on-brand for Apple. Or at least for the brand that Apple sees itself as. Which may be just as well.”
Apple’s premium unscripted strategy comes at a time of high competition in the streaming and entertainment industry, where standing out and capturing attention is no simple feat. And against a backdrop where market leader Netflix reportedly faces engagement challenges, including customers on average spending less time watching the SVOD and opening its app less of often, while separately the newly formed Skydance is in the time-consuming process of merging two major media companies of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount, including the HBO Max and Paramount+ streamers.
Apple TV offers Stick for free on Samsung ahead of Season 2
As Apple TV continues to drive a position as a destination for quality hits, it’s also tapping into partners and the more recent tactic of content sampling on other platforms to get titles in front of broader audiences and drum up interest in new seasons.
That can be seen with last week’s news that Apple TV is making the full first season of its golf comedy Stick available to stream for free on Samsung smart TV's built-in ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service Samsung TV Plus ahead of its Season 2 premiere on Apple TV November 4.
Season 1 of Stick, starring and executive produced by Owen Wilson, will be available to stream on-demand for free on Samsung TV Plus for a limited time beginning on October 21 across the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia.
This gives Apple TV a chance to get in front of Samsung TV Plus’ 100 million monthly active users, while viewers have a chance to catch up on the first season for free ahead of next month’s premiere.
Giving viewers a taste of new episodes or full access to earlier seasons or films on third-party platforms to reengage and drive interest ahead of new releases is one approach that some streamers and studios have been employing. There are plenty of examples, but a recent one includes Lionsgate making all of the Hunger Games franchise movies available to stream for free on Fandango ahead of the upcoming anticipated theatrical release for the latest film in the franchise.
Separately, while the Apple TV SVOD appears focused on premium, scripted content – its streaming device platform is a place where users can also find social and short-form video from third-party apps, as Meta’s Instagram just this week expanded availability of its CTV app, which includes Reels, longer videos and live shows, to Apple TV devices for the first time.