Prime Video has massive plans for the Southeast Asia area, together with the introduction of channels and an expanded local-language content material slate, the streamer’s Vice President, Asia Pacific, Gaurav Gandhi, advised the APOS convention at this time.
Gandhi, who headed Prime Video India earlier than being appointed to guide the broader APAC area in April, confirmed what Prime Video VP Worldwide Kelly Day talked about at APOS yesterday, that channels and TVOD might be added to Prime Video’s providing in Southeast Asia. Gandhi was talking on a panel with David Simonsen, Prime Video Director, Southeast Asia, and Aparna Purohit, Head of Originals, India & SEA.
“We’ve always said we’re not just about the core SVOD service, but we’re also a content hub and a marketplace with TVOD and channels,” mentioned Gandhi, who relocated from Mumbai to Singapore in his new position. “We’re at different growth stages across the region – obviously we’ve been investing in Japan and India for a while, and we’re now getting started with David’s team here in building out Southeast Asia.”
Similtaneously bringing partnerships and third-party channels to the service, Gandhi mentioned Prime Video would even be the right way to develop the local-language content material slate in Southeast Asia, including to the streamer’s long-established native output in India and Japan.
Purohit, who beforehand headed originals in India and has additionally had her temporary expanded to soak up Southeast Asia, talked about how she goals to deliver a few of the experience gained in India to the area – with a give attention to Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.
“When we started out in India, we realised we needed to start building a community of writers, and we brought in consultants, writers and directors from outside India to help on some of our shows,” Purohit mentioned. “That really helped to fuel the entire creative economy of the country and I’m excited to bring some of those initiatives here.”
Prime Video was one of many first international streamers to provide Indian exhibits that had been properly acquired internationally, with a number of breakout hits together with Mirzapur, Inside Edge, Breathe and Made In Heaven. That sturdy monitor file continued this yr with Raj & DK’s thriller Farzi and Vikramaditya Motwane’s interval drama Jubilee. The Indian group additionally not too long ago moved into unscripted with documentaries and actuality present Mission Begin Ab, following a gaggle of younger entrepreneurs.
Acknowledging that Southeast Asia is just not homogenous, “every country has its specific nuances”, Purohit additionally mentioned she was “excited about the possibilities” within the area and had not too long ago met creators in Thailand the place she felt the expertise and fervour “really transcended all barriers of language of nationality”.
She added that Prime Video already has sturdy groups on the bottom in Southeast Asia and that the three territories the streamer is initially specializing in – Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand – are already “such prolific media and entertainment industries, with phenomenal talent. I’m just excited to build on that.”
Whereas saying it was too early to announce particular tasks, Purohit mentioned the technique in every territory is to develop “authentic and rooted” tales. “We just want to work for the audience and understand their preferences and taste,” Purohit mentioned.
On the product and partnership facet, Simonsen defined that Prime Video has spent the previous yr constructing out groups in Singapore and throughout the area, studying about engagement and acquisition methods alongside the way in which.
“On the other side of the coin, we’ve been a little slow with some of our product infrastructure and it took us a while to get online with our payments, which is critical in this market,” he added. “But that came on board in Q2 this year and has made a big impact on the business.”
Prime Video initially centered on APAC markets equivalent to India and Japan the place it could possibly provide the entire vary of Prime membership advantages, together with buying and quick supply. These companies will not be presently accessible in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand, however Gandhi mentioned the targets when it comes to delivering a high quality expertise are the identical: “We don’t see it as a barrier, it’s an opportunity to build a branded subscription service for Amazon in markets where we haven’t had that previously.”
Purohit mentioned she’s optimistic that originals from this area can discover a global viewers. Citing Indian exhibits like Farzi and Made In Heaven, for which 20% of viewership is coming from exterior India, she mentioned: “The linguistic palette of pretty much every viewer has expanded and everyone’s watching content in more than three or four languages now. I truly believe that the next big global hit is coming from this part of the world.”
