Tesco-owned Blinkbox is stepping up the pressure on rivals Lovefilm Instant and Netflix with its latest campaign which touts “superior” coverage of release-movies than either competitor.
The movie and TV streaming service, which Tesco bought last year, has a pay-as-you view (PPV) model, meaning it can secure movie content rights in the more flexible PPV window, unlike rivals Lovefilm and Netflix which must operate in the subscriptions rights windows, still dominated by Sky.
It champions this differentiation in its latest campaign, claiming it has “considerably” more of the 100 top-grossing movies in the last 18 months than its rivals, with 76 titles on Blinkbox, including Life of Pi, Gangster Squad, Django Unchained, Flight and Les Miserables, compared to three on Lovefilm Instant and six on Netflix.
The campaign will launch on ITV today (3 May) including ad spots during Britain’s Got Talent on Saturday. It will span video-on-demand, press, outdoor, and online and will also run on Blinkbox’s own social media platforms and Tesco channels as well as being incorporated into its customer relationship management strategy.
The campaign’s creative message is also geared toward encouraging people to stay in and “avoid the dangers of the big bad world” linking to dramatic new movies available in May.
The ad (pictured), created by Karmarama, shows a rambler whose peaceful country walk comes to a dramatic end when he is comically attacked by rabbits, squirrels and birds; the ad then shows him taking refuge in his boarded up house, cuddling up on the sofa with his wife enjoying the latest releases on Blinkbox.
Blinkbox group marketing director Kate Simon said: “We’ve focused on the drama in our great movies in May, with a tongue in cheek message reflecting the Blinkbox personality.
“We’re on a mission to help everyone stay safe by watching the latest releases on Blinkbox from the comfort of their home – or emergency bunker - rather than risking the dangerous outdoor pastimes that could tempt them to their doom this summer.”
“The campaign also highlights the benefits of Blinkbox that set us apart from competitor services – we’re proud to have most of the big blockbusters over a year before Lovefilm Instant and Netflix.”
Arena Media managed the planning and buying.