According to a report in the Financial Times, one of the leading candidates for the rebranded name is Paramount+ to better compete with Disney+, Netflix and HBO Max.
Since the merger of Viacom and CBS last year, streaming has become a key part of the company’s growth. In fact, the merger was seen as an essential tactic to challenge rivals.
Part of redefining the company is renaming it. In a short-list of possible names, sources tell FT, Paramount+ is the popular choice. It is rumored ViacomCBS has also considered using the Viacom or Pluto TV brands as part of the relaunched service.
ViacomCBS currently uses the Paramount+ brand for its international OTT app, which is available in Latin America, the Nordics, Eastern Europe, Russia and Latin America. Like CBS All Access, Paramount+ also features content from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.
CBS All Access has tapped Droga5 New York to rebrand the platform.
A ViacomCBS spokesperson said: “We are currently going through a thoughtful branding process that will reflect the expansion and relaunch of the service. Both existing and new original brands are under consideration.”
According to the FT, part of the motivation for rebranding CBS All Access is that ViacomCBS management “believes the CBS brand appeals mainly to an older audience.” ViacomCBS is the home of several other popular brands including MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and Smithsonian. However, most of those have targeted audiences, with Paramount possibly seen as the one brand in the portfolio with the broadest appeal.
Paramount Pictures is the second oldest movie studio in the US, so its name (and famous mountain logo) carry a lot of recognition for consumers of all ages. In May the first post-merger expansion of CBS All Access was the addition of dozens of Paramount films, with over 150 now available. More are expected to be added by the time of the relaunch.
We have already seen Viacom utilize the Paramount name for re-branding. In 2018 their Spike TV cable network was relaunched as the Paramount Network, pivoting to take on premium free cable networks like AMC. Its first original drama Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner, has solid ratings and is wrapping up its third season.
ViacomCBS’ relaunch of CBS All Access is already underway. Earlier this month, the company added 70 shows with more than 3,500 episodes to the streaming platform, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Henry Danger, The Loud House, The Thundermans, ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks, Game Shakers, Rugrats, CatDog, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Big Time Rush and The Fairly OddParents from Nickelodeon, as well as BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood, MTV’s Laguna Beach, and Comedy Central’s Chappelle’s Show. More shows are expected to rollout over the next six months. ViacomCBS recently announced that Nickelodeon's Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run will join the service during early 2021.
ViacomCBS has also revealed that, with CBS All Access expanding its slate, Nickelodeon will be keeping Noggin, its preschool application, operational because of its unique interactive functionality and access to games. The video content on Noggin, which includes popular Nickelodeon kids programming such as Dora the Explorer and Paw Patrol, will eventually move to the rebranded All Access.
With the relaunch of CBS All Access, ViacomCBS is also thought to be planning to launch a separate streaming service for CBS.
The company reported 16 million streaming subscribers across Showtime and CBS All Access in August.
From Digital TV Europe:
ViacomCBS raises SVOD target as it ramps up streaming drive
ViacomCBS is on track to reach an increased goal of 18 million paying SVOD customers by the end of the year as it cranks up its streaming efforts and prepares for the relaunch of a domestic streaming offering combining CBS All Access and content from Paramount early next year, according to CEO Bob Bakish.
Speaking at a Bank of America conference, Bakish said that the addition of 190 Paramount movies to CBS All Access in July was “in effect is a preview launch of where we’re going” with the service.
Bakish said that double-digit growth in usage of the service in August had been driven by “brands that were not on the service before”
Bakish said that ViacomCBS would expand its streaming originals slate to encompass all of the company’s brands, citing the example of Paramount’s forthcoming feature for Nickelodeon, Sponge on the Run, which will be launched on th streamer rather than theatrically, and SpongeBob spin-off series, Kamp Koral – the first Nickelodeon original for the service.
“The end result will be a compelling differentiated ViacomCBS streaming super service, which offers consumers a broad and differentiated product at a compelling price point. It’s going to have wide demographic appeal across kids, young adults, millennials and older adults and it’s going to have a very robust offering of entertainment, plus sports and news,” he said.
Bakish said that ViacomCBS was “building a linked ecosystem of free and pay streaming offerings, including our super service, Showtime OTT and Pluto TV each of which will be available individually”.
He said the key goal was “ubiquitous distribution” rather than bundling all services together and using a vertically integrated platform.
Bakish also said that the company would look to boost its sports offering as part of the streaming service, and cited its acquisition of the US rights to UEFA Champions League football.
Bakish said that ViacomCBS had now renewed its CBS All Access distribution deal with Amazon Prime Video.
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More Nick: Nickelodeon Upfront 2020 Roundup!
Originally published: Saturday, August 15, 2020 at 01:09 BST.
Original source: The Streamable; Additional sources: TrekMovie.com, CBR.com.
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