Nat Geo Wild leans into mobile video for new series targeting millennials
National Geographic?s Nat Geo Wild network is airing its first online-exclusive series, a 16-part show launching on the brand's YouTube channel, to capture a growing audience of younger viewers who are more interested in snackable mobile content.
Wild_Life will follow a young photographer trying to capture footage of a hard-to-find wolf species in Canada and will be leveraging live streaming applications and social media platforms to fully engage the millennial viewer. The mobile video series will showcase the wide range of Canadian wildlife in a manner that appeals to a modern audience through a mobile platform and drama of the adventure in finding the wolves.
"With the launch of their new online video series Nat Geo is demonstrating their understanding of the connected individual, that TV is no longer defined as content tethered to the box that sits on my shelf at home; rather it is now defined as video content that is accessible on the channel of choice through the device the individual has in hand, and wherever and whenever he or she may be," said Michael Becker, managing partner at mCordis. "They are providing a unique mix of on-demand video, Live TV content and tying in with the schedule features of the individual?s paid cable services.
"What all this means for Nat Geo is that they are serving the needs of the connected individual, the primary principle of The Connected Marketer," he said. "It also means that they can continue to capture key advertising dollars, since pre-/post-roll advertising is readily accepted by viewers through really well deployed executions las Nat Geo?s programming.
"Moreover, as viewers spend more and more of their time viewing via digital channels, Nat Geo now has the potential to create much richer profiles around not just the general viewers, but specific individual?s it services. This in turn will help the team produce contextually relevant content for the viewer and better targeting and re-targeting for the advertiser."
Wild with mobile
Nat Geo Wild is National Geographic?s sister television network that focuses primarily on wildlife, and the Wild_Life series will mark its first digital-only show. In hopes to garner a following of a younger audience, the network is sharing the experience of young zoologist and photographer Bertie Gregory that may appeal more to millennials.
Viewers will follow Mr. Gregory through his journey in Canada that features encounters with wildlife such as bears, sea lions, owls, bald eagles and other eye-catching species. The first episode airs on August 3 on Nat Geo Wild?s YouTube channel, NatGeoWild and on National Geographic?s mobile and desktop Web sites.
The series gets up close and personal with Mr. Gregory on his journey and brings viewers in almost as a friend viewing on social media. A trailer has been released on Facebook to build hype for the August premiere.
Mobile video rising
Verizon similarly further disrupted traditional television programming by betting completely on mobile for its new competitive reality series, which airs on go90, be promoted by a mobile-only ad campaign and include calls-to-action via social and mobile platforms (see more).
The National Basketball Association also leaned into the pervasiveness of YouTube and mobile video with a new channel that features fan-generated content for all-things basketball related, an attempt to appeal to millennials with an organic content experience (see more).
"This is just one more sign that video is going digital and since digital is going mobile it means that mobile is here to stay," Mr. Becker said. "Mobile is at the heart of being of service to the connected individual and connected marketing.
"Looking forward we should she much more engaging and interactive content and advertising; moreover, I expect we?ll also see richer implementation of virtual reality coming for publishers like Nat Geo, the mobile media is perfect for creating new and immersive experiences," he said.