Hey. It’s been a while. I missed this.
Recently I listened to an online webinar hosted by Iconoculture that talked about the rise of the rewatch. It is essentially another wellness method. Let me explain.
Wellness
From reading the morning newspaper – lol I know you don’t do that. Okay, so from scrolling through Twitter, I’m sure you can see the craziness and stress of the everyday. With divisive politics to work/school to navigating life in general, people have a lot to deal with daily. Wellness has become less of a luxury and more a necessary way to stay afloat. How people approach wellness differs, but a common tactic is to surround oneself with familiarity and comfort. Even Gen X, a typically difficult generation to target, is inclined to familiarity.
Familiarity as a form of wellness
With familiarity, there is security in knowing there won’t be any surprises and solace in that you know you like it. You can sit back and relax. You already know that Ross will get with Rachel in Friends. Also, because of knowledge of the plotline and what is going to happen, your attention doesn’t have to be so well tuned in. It takes less mental energy which is good for everyone’s short attention spans.
The rise of the rewatch
So, it makes sense for people to be rewatching Friends and The Office over and over again. There’s comfort and relaxation in their familiarity – and people can get the most out of them while they’re still on Netflix. People can have shows on in the background while folding their laundry and doing other tasks. (Yes, Tide, people do their laundry while watching TV.) With less stake involved, people will continue to gravitate to familiarity and their favorite TV shows.
What other categories can do
So, maybe your brand isn’t in the streaming service industry. (You’re probably better off not participating in the current streaming wars.) But, you can capitalize and embrace familiarity and low attention in your category. The way you position your product and send out messaging can utilize these growing values that will continue in 2020.
About Marissa Musings: Marissa Musings are short blog posts that derive from an outpouring of random thoughts. My brain can be a very crazy place. Enjoy with caution.