When Netflix decided to promote its own YouTube channel

We're used to watching movie trailers on Netflix India's YouTube channel. But, nobody would've expected to watch a 'channel trailer' for the OTT platform's channel itself.

You will find every single ingredient that has gone into Netflix's YouTube channel in the 118-second-long video. There are mind-blowing movie trailers, shows like 'Sacred Games' and 'Sex Education', stars like Saif Ali Khan and Nawaz Bhai, eye-catching clips, and amazing YouTube shows like 'Behensplaining!', 'The Brand New Show', 'Menu Please', etc.

If all this feels a bit too much, there's also the mention of the famed 'Playlists' that arranges everything for you in a neat and orderly way. Monica Geller (from the popular American sitcom 'Friends'), anyone? Towards the end, one can feel that it's Netflix's elevator pitch for its YouTube channel. But it's already taken off, so why do this?

One reason could be that Netflix India's YouTube channel has its own fanbase and community that may not necessarily have subscribed to Netflix's platform because of price constraints. Its standard pricing starts at Rs 500 per month, while mobile-only plan costs Rs 199 per month. And with so many fun clips, sneak peeks, exclusive shows and whatnot, the community is satisfied with the YouTube channel.

Mohit Hussein, co-founder, Shitty Ideas Trending, at a panel on the rise of OTT and its impact on UGC at vdonxt asia 2020, afaqs!' flagship digital video convention, said something on similar lines, that UGC is consumed by communities while OTT is consumed by audiences. "Communities have invested in what we create. They like to be connected to our lives...," Hussein added.

The OTT platform seemed to confirm this towards the end of the video. "Friends, Romans, countrymen, Welcome! Please fasten your seatbelts. For this journey! Whose beginning and ending is... Netflix India's YouTube Channel."

Credits:

Writer/Editor/Animator/Voice: Mishaalikka

Producer/Writer: Armaan Dua

Designer: Aarohi Devasthale