It may still be touted as the world’s best streaming service, but Netflix is doing nothing to quell the growing discontent over the past 12 months.
Well, it’s still the undisputed king of the streaming landscape. The global success of new TV shows, such as the night agent And Wednesdayas well as the return of popular fan favorites such as stranger things Season 4, prove that Netflix continues to command our attention no matter what problems it faces.
Still, I can’t help but feel the company’s latest marketing stunt — for one Magician season 3, and for one Fubar, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first TV show ever – is a little deaf. Sure, they’re fun tie-ins. But at a time when Netflix is being criticized on so many issues, they don’t sit well with me.
Let’s start with the man many people affectionately call ‘Arnie’. Yesterday (May 22), Netflix announced that it has hired veteran terminator And Cruel Starr as its chief executive officer.
Let’s be clear: Schwarzenegger hasn’t actually landed a new role for Netflix. It’s just a piece of clever marketing that packs a one-two punch.
First, it serves as a promotional vehicle – see, it’s funny because ‘Arnie’ drives a tank in the promo video? pick him up? never mind… – for Fubar, the actor’s debut TV series that is part-comedy, part-action spy thriller. Secondly (and finally), it helps promote some new Netflix movies and TV series coming in 2023, including the return of some of the best Netflix shows, like Magicians third outing, and eagerly anticipated sequels such as clearance 2, All in all, it’s a fairly fun promotional tie-in that will likely raise smiles or result in chuckles from casual observers.
As mentioned, though, Fubar isn’t the only Netflix series that’s benefiting from a smart piece of marketing. Athletic Brewing, a non-alcoholic craft beer company, has teamed up with Netflix to (ahem) craft Geralt’s Gold, a limited-edition pale lager that’s available to purchase before Magician Season 3 debuts in late June.
OK, so what’s the problem? Promotional campaigns have become part of the cultural age when it comes to movies, TV shows and streaming, with studios and entertainment companies regularly marketing their productions to persuade audiences to watch them. Sometimes, they will also collaborate with other companies to create products that benefit both parties. That’s been the case for decades, so why has Netflix’s latest marketing gimmick got me so bent out of shape?
Toss a coin and toast destiny with our all new @witchernetflix collab brew: Geralt’s Gold. It’s a limited-release, hoppy hellscape inspired by Netflix’s hit show The Witcher. Stock up on the link below for the Season 3 premiere in June! pic.twitter.com/1TPewWkeH6May 22, 2023
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For one, it’s the timing of it all. Currently, Netflix is one of the biggest studios whose movies and TV shows have been affected by the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. Its many in-development shows like stranger things Season 5 is on hiatus or may not enter full production until the WGA and the Association of Motion Pictures for Television (AMPTP) reach an agreement on better working conditions for WGA members.
According to industry insiders, Netflix is one of the most prominent companies refusing to consider the possibility of increasing writers’ pay, among other demands from the WGA. Following this, several Hollywood journalists (and other industry workers who support the strike) have called on Netflix users to cancel their subscriptions in protest.
Then there’s the uproar over Netflix canceling popular TV shows. Furious Lockwood & Company Fans broke their Netflix subscriptions in the wake of its canning, while others are desperately trying to rig the Netflix viewing statistics system to save money. shadow and bone With similar fate. Add in Netflix’s upcoming password crackdown plan, which will happen very soon, and users are clearly unhappy about having to fork over cash for a subscription (likely for the first time if they’ve been using someone else’s account for years) if their Favorite shows will inevitably be cancelled.
So while the stunts above are clever pieces of marketing, the ‘Arnie’ video and the witcher The tie-in product doesn’t fit. Netflix talks about cutting costs and saving money, which means it’s unlikely to budge from its stance on increasing writers’ pay. But then it goes away and thus spends money on promotional tie-ins. With WGA members and other streaming-based employees calling for better working conditions amid the cost of life crisis, I can’t help but think the money Netflix is burning could be better spent elsewhere.
For more Netflix coverage, read Best Netflix Movies and Best Netflix Documentaries. Alternatively, find out how you can cancel Netflix if you’re unhappy with the status quo.
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