Netflix and Prime Video rule the OTT landscape, boasting a subscriber base of 247.2 million and 302.9 million, respectively. As the competitive saga of Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video leads disruptive transformation in the global media and entertainment space, their strategies to keep their loyal subscriber base continually engaged are something to truly take inspiration from. This forms a compelling Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video case study in customer engagement in OTT.
In merely a few game-changing years, the OTT behemoths have redefined how to intelligently use Social Media, Email Marketing, and other new-age engagement channels to build lasting and meaningful relationships with streaming enthusiasts across the world.
We shall dissect some of the most impactful user engagement campaigns which fuel the Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video marketing strategy debate.
In this post…
- Netflix – The First Mover In The OTT Space
- Amazon Prime Video – Reshaping The OTT Movement, One Subscription At A Time
- Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video: Which OTT Behemoth Wins At The User Engagement Game?
Netflix – The First Mover In The OTT Space
Launched in 1997, Netflix has made it clear to the world that user engagement for them is all about leveraging innovation and emerging technologies to deliver personalized, omnipresent experiences that are just hard to ignore. Just like the content the platform features, Netflix ensures their subscribers find it equally impossible to turn a blind eye to their engagement campaigns.
Just like the content the platform features, Netflix ensures their subscribers find it equally impossible to turn a blind eye to their engagement campaigns. Read more - via @webengage Share on XHere’s a look at some of the most hyped and celebrated user engagement strategies and campaigns from Netflix in the recent past, contributing to the ongoing discussion of which is best: Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Out-of-the-box show launches via social media:
1. “The Thing” Campaign for Wednesday
Remember Wednesday Addams’ severed hand, Thing? Netflix didn’t just bring it back to life for the new series launch – they unleashed it onto the streets of New York in a genius guerilla marketing campaign. A disembodied hand, crawling through iconic locations like Times Square and Central Park, was bound to turn heads and generate buzz.
Here’s what made “The Thing” campaign so successful:
- It was unexpected and attention-grabbing: Seeing a lone hand creeping through the bustling city streets is not your typical Tuesday afternoon! This element of surprise instantly captured public attention and sparked curiosity.
- It played perfectly with the show’s theme: The Addams Family is all about being dreadful and strange, and what better way to introduce Wednesday’s sidekick than with a real-life Thing causing a stir? This campaign seamlessly blended fiction and reality, creating a memorable touchpoint for the show.
- It sparked organic engagement: People couldn’t resist interacting with the “escaped” hand. From cautious approaches to playful chases and even selfies, the public became part of the performance, boosting the reach and generating organic social media content.
The “Thing” campaign is a prime example of how Netflix uses social media platforms beyond just promotion. They create experiences that pique curiosity, fuel conversation, and leave a lasting impression. And the huge success of the show is the testimony that their creepy crawly stunt paid off brilliantly.
Take a look at the campaign here:
Add video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B479Wc72Bsc
2. The Bridgerton finale showdown with Pat McGrath
Bridgerton wasn’t just a period drama; it was a cultural phenomenon. And Netflix knew exactly how to fuel the Regency fever. Partnering with makeup royalty Pat McGrath, they created a limited-edition collection that transformed Bridgerton’s opulent visuals into tangible beauty dreams.
From diamond-encrusted packaging to eyeshadow shades named after Bridgerton characters, every detail screamed Regency elegance.
Additionally, inspired by the collaboration and the show itself, the #RegencyCore trend exploded on TikTok. Makeup tutorials, historical fashion recreations, and even Regency-themed dance challenges took over feeds, keeping Bridgerton top-of-mind long after the season finale.
2. The Bridgerton finale showdown with Pat McGrath
While we’ve explored clever and creative social media campaigns from Netflix, here is the most controversial one: the “Spoiler Billboard” campaign. This guerilla tactic aimed to promote social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic by plastering spoilers on billboards in high-traffic areas for popular shows like Stranger Things, Money Heist, and Narcos.
Add video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTPTSRS86n4
The concept? Shocking and engaging viewers with major plot twists to encourage them to stay home and binge-watch instead of venturing out. The campaign generated significant buzz, garnering both praise for its boldness and criticism for spoiling beloved shows.
The buzz surrounding the billboards likely encouraged some viewers to prioritize their health and stay home to watch Netflix. And in a period marked by global uncertainty, a lighthearted (if unorthodox) attempt at promoting public safety gained traction.
While the campaign certainly grabbed attention, the spoilers themselves potentially alienated fans. Imagine stumbling upon the fate of Hopper in Stranger Things before actually watching the season! This caused an uproar on social media, with #NetflixDontSpoil trending alongside discussions about privacy and ethical marketing during a sensitive time.
While the campaign’s effectiveness in promoting social distancing may be debatable, it undoubtedly sparked conversations about brand ethics, creative boundaries, and the evolving landscape of entertainment marketing in the digital age.
Consistent and jaw-droppingly engaging Twitter conversations
If there is one brand that can make Twitteratis engage in conversations that are always amusing, to say the least, Netflix is one of those brands that take the cake nine times out of ten.
They have social media handles (and of course, teams) dedicated to some of their most important geographies, from India to the UK, bringing in the right mix of cultural and local context that is essential to create a lasting mark on their audience’s minds through dialogue that cuts through the clutter.
Here’s a prime example of Netflix Official engaging with one fan on a Twitter thread about The Office, the famous NBC comedy:
And here are some more examples of their deadly humor…
Netflix knows how to joke, apparently. Here’s one instance when a Twitter user posted a clearly fake offer–a “free Netflix subscription for six months” if you just happen to be one of the first 10,000 lucky folks to call a certain phone number–Netflix India replied:
Personalization and data are at the core of everything
When it comes to personalization and recommendations, Netflix is one of the most advanced technology companies, investing over billions of dollars every year (Source) just to ensure they are serving the right content to the right person.
To achieve this with much sophistication, Netflix tracks, synthesizes and then analyzes user data at every step of the way — from how much a viewer watches a certain show, to how many are they watching at any given point of time, to what genres do they range from, and more — everything is a data point and in turn an insight for Netflix.
From A/B testing landing cards to using machine learning to power up its recommendations uniquely for its millions of users, nothing comes even close to the platform’s raw power to strategically and continually engage viewers.
Meme marketing at its best
Today, meme marketing has become one of the most important levers of effective content marketing. While so many brands out there attempt to do it well, only a handful are able to do it in a way that’s unforgettable. Netflix is certainly one brand that does it well, and does it how! Here’s a look at some of the most memorable meme moments from the history of Netflix:
Proactive (and smart) communication
The one thing that Netflix needs to ensure as a leading OTT platform is that its viewers remain loyal to it. Considering the number of alternatives, one has – from Amazon Prime to torrents or even YouTube videos-Netflix follows what we call ‘proactive’ communication.
Netflix makes sure they’re making the most of all the platforms that their audience is present on. After all, who’d want to miss Lucifer’s new season when they binge-watched the previous ones, and the internet is out there to give you spoilers!
Push notifications
What was the first thing you did after watching Narcos? Share your take on it with your friends on a chat app or maybe even post a quick review of it on your social profile. You’re one of the spoilers, but we’re here to discuss how Netflix picks up on your interests.
As soon as you complete a season, Netflix keeps your interest hooked with a plot that’s coming up and nudges you to watch the trailer. Take a look at his cleverly crafted push notification here:
But their push notification strategy isn’t just restricted to the binge-watchers. They also take into account those who may not know what to watch next and are looking for recommendations. Or those who simply love to rewatch their favorite series. Come on, we all know you have watched Friends a number of times already!
Email marketing
Even though Netflix is aware that they’re addressing a more on-the-go audience, they don’t forget to leverage the traditional channels of communication. Yes, we’re talking about email marketing.
From sending what’s trending on the OTT platform to personalized recommendations, their emails replicate the look and feel of the Netflix home page.
But apart from their proactive email marketing strategy, we also like how they use the channel to reinforce how Netflix can be enjoyed ‘anywhere’. They frequently nudge their members to get the Netflix app to watch their favorite shows and movies on the go!
Forbes, too, has acknowledged that their email marketing strategy is definitely changing the game. Read all about it here.
Check out – Initiate Personalized Customer Engagement Strategies like a Pro
Amazon Prime Video – Reshaping The OTT Movement, One Subscription At A Time
If someone asks you to name a streaming platform other than Netflix, the only one that comes to your mind would most definitely be Amazon Prime Video. The fact that it comes bundled with the Amazon Prime subscription, which in itself has become an essential part of many people’s lives in the first world, only makes a case for Amazon Prime Video in the battle vs Netflix and take a slice off its market share. In this section and the next one, let’s discuss what they have going on for them well and how the fate of the two platforms will turn out to be.
Amazon Prime Video tries to connect with it’s audience on a deeper level
While Netflix has mastered the art of out-of-the-box show launches and clever social media tactics, Amazon Prime Video is taking a different approach in India. Their new campaign, “See Where It Takes You,” doesn’t just promote specific shows; it celebrates the transformative power of storytelling itself.
This shift in focus marks a strategic move for Prime Video in the Indian market. Unlike Netflix, which often leans toward global appeal and genre-specific marketing, Prime Video prioritizes local relevance and emotional connection. By emphasizing the personal journeys sparked by its diverse content, the campaign resonates with India’s vast and varied audience, contributing to their potential success in the customer engagement in OTT space.
The “See Where It Takes You” campaign isn’t about consuming shows one after another. It’s about the lasting impact these stories can have and the unexpected ways they can inspire us to dream bigger and push boundaries. The focus is on the emotional resonance and personal growth facilitated by immersive entertainment.
Add video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VcHL41CYXQ
Social sampling done right
They say user engagement is all about being authentic and adding value to your prospects and audience. But what they don’t tell you is how it can actually be done. This is something Amazon Prime Video was able to pull off in supreme fashion when they ended up making an episode of The Wilds, one of their original drama series, free to watch for their audience across social media platforms.
From this article on The Shorty Awards website, “In order to meet our target fanbase where they’re at, Amazon Prime Video, for the first time, made available the pilot episode across all socials (Facebook, Twitter, IGTV, YouTube) for fans to watch for free, share with their friends and become a part of the online fandom.“
As a result of which, Amazon Prime Video garnered 6.1m+ total views across all social platforms during its 2-week run. Outperforming all previous viewing benchmarks.
APV’s tryst with moment marketing
Moment marketing is everywhere around us. One notable event happens, and every second brand has something to say. Hoping to be clever about it. And just like Netflix, their social media handles are always the first ones to come up with the wittiest remarks. Content that is relatable and keeps on building their brand recall!
What’s more? They do it in a way that ties very well with the product they’re selling: movies and TV series. Here’s an example of the latest one, when the world faced a major outage. The entire Facebook network, with Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp all being down at the same time. Amazon Prime Video cleverly dropped this meme from The Social Network, a movie they have streaming on their platform. Clever, eh?
Gathering user-generated content like a boss
When it comes to engagement, user-generated content comes right on top in terms of moving metrics and creating impact. And Amazon Prime Video seems to have caught wind of this early enough to reap the rewards.
Here are some examples of Amazon Prime Video interacting with its Twitter audience and engaging in conversations. They are no less entertaining than any content marketing or social media campaigns.
Irresistible social media gamification
If social media wasn’t irresistible anyway, brands put in tons of effort to engage their audiences on it excellently. Some, like Amazon Prime Video, go even a step ahead. They introduce elements of gamification to take the engagement cues a step ahead.
On their official Instagram page, they have a ‘highlights’ section called Games. Dedicated to poll-based quizzes from the content available on their platform. Here are a few of those:
Intriguing, eh? Try it out for yourself any time!
Never forgetting communication
In the Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video war, the latter also has a proactive communication strategy. The fundamental idea being to keep their users engaged. They too, tap into multiple channels to notify users of new shows, launch trailers, and more.
Push notifications
Yes, Amazon Prime Video sends you notifications when a new show is coming soon. But they tend to keep it simpler, and less aggressive as compared to its OTT competitor, Netflix. Even though their Prime Video now has a vast audience, their notifications are more aggressive on the eCommerce front.
Email marketing
On the other hand, we would say their email marketing strategy is definitely more thought-through and aggressive than push notifications. From sending personalized recommendations to announcing what’s new on the OTT platform. They do it all – in a much similar fashion as Netflix.
Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video: Which OTT Behemoth Wins At The User Engagement Game?
The online streaming wars have been on for some time now. But if you’re one to follow it closely, you know that the Netflix vs Amazon Prime Video saga is just the beginning. With every major media house around the world coming up with their own service in the hope of new business, better audience experience, or another goal, the world is now an oyster for the consumer to choose which service they are going to follow.
The world is now an oyster for the consumer to choose which service they are going to follow. Read more - via @webengage Share on XEspecially because the content will always remain the number one reason people watch, listen to, or read anything, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video will always remain head-to-head in commissioning and producing original content. However, Netflix seems to be taking quite the edge because of its deeper experience in the field of entertainment. Netflix also seems to be delivering far more consistent, coherent, exciting, and engaging experiences as a whole. This is something that truly makes the brand stand out among its audiences like none other.
On the other hand, Amazon Prime Video has an edge with the data they’ve accumulated on their millions of customers. Not just through their streaming platform, but the entire Amazon ecosystem.
In a nutshell, both these platforms are here to stay. They’ll continue to drive up innovation and creativity at the heart of motion pictures. And the world will sit back and enjoy modern-day masterpieces in the form of movies and TV series that can be binged.
Our personal favorite though is Netflix, but we want to know who you’d pick! Oh, and if you’re coming with a spoiler, please turn away.
Dev Iyer
Kasturi Patra
Vanhishikha Bhargava
