Netflix programs physical events

Future. Netflix is doubling down on IRL events to engage fans of top shows like Bridgerton, Stranger Things, and Money Heist. With some people feeling that Netflix-backed movies and shows have a shorter shelf-life than content from other studios (arguably, that says more about digital content in general than anything about Netflix), the streamer may be looking for ways to expand the conversation around a show longer than the week it takes to binge it.

Bridging Bridgerton
Netflix content is coming off the platform.

• On the heels of Bridgerton’s season 2 debut, Netflix and Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland (the producer of the show) are currently throwing a series of Regency-era-themed balls across North America, with the most recent one in L.A.
  • Upcoming events will take place in cities like Chicago, Washington D.C., and Montreal.
• Additionally, the companies are also debuting Bridgerton-themed tea parties so that you have several opportunities to escape real life.

The idea is that the events keep the shows relevant for fans even when they finish the latest season. Shondaland chief design and digital media officer Sandie Bailey said, “when we began to think about extending our stories, we realized that we needed to meet people where they were. And sometimes that’s not on a screen.”

Storytelling market
Of course, mixing content and IRL experiences isn’t new — Disney and Universal have been at it for decades — but Netflix is paving the way for the practice to hit streamers. See, Netflix has made something of a habit to opt for purely digital, positioning the platform as the only thing that truly mattered. That started to change when Netflix wanted some Oscars and needed to put its award-hopefuls in theaters in order to get them.

And considering how Netflix has experienced something of a subscriber-signup slowdown in the U.S., the company is also looking to increase revenue per subscriber. In the past year, the company has opened an online marketplace for show-branded merch and is even cracking down on password sharing.