Roku Continues Push Into Branded Streaming Content With ‘The Show Next Door’
Roku continued its foray into branded content on Wednesday with the launch of the new series The Show Next Door, on The Roku Channel, hosted by Randall Park.
Park is probably best known to streaming audiences for his role as FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the recent Disney+ series WandaVision.
This is Roku’s latest take on marketing as consumers shift from traditional TV to streaming services.
“Our partnership with Maker’s Mark is innovating how brands meet consumers today as they shift away from traditional television to streaming,” said Brian Toombs, Head of Content at Roku Brand Studio. “’The Show Next Door’ is an incredible example of moving beyond the traditional 30-second ad and creating a fun and uplifting comedy so Maker’s Mark reaches streamers whether they are watching ad-supported or subscription-only content.”
In March, Roku launched its own brand studio to create sponsored content, such as The Show Next Door. Dan Robbins, Vice President, Ad Marketing, Roku said, “We’re excited to launch a new advertising brand studio for marketers to create streamer-first campaigns on America’s #1 TV streaming platform.”
Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free live TV streaming service that provides 350+ live linear streaming channels and more than 80,000 free movies and TV shows. The library contains entertainment from several different decades, including some major hits.
In June, Roku’s first branded show, Roku Recommends, sponsored by Walmart, made its debut.
The launch of The Show Next Door is a sign that consumers can expect more branded content from Roku in the future. While the new show aligns with Roku’s goal of reaching streamers with these types of campaigns, the company was intentional when choosing a genre to pursue. The company reports, “In the first quarter of 2021, Roku saw streaming hours for Comedy content grow 798% on The Roku Channel compared to the first quarter of 2020.”
Each episode takes place in Randall’s “living room” and begins with Randall crafting a favorite cocktail during his opening monologue. Season One guests include Tony Hale, Terrell Owens, Fortune Feimster, Jason Mraz, Mark Duplass, and Gina Yashere, among many others.
“The Show Next Door is the embodiment of what we call Maker’s Hour–the much-deserved time you decide to make for yourself,” said KK Hall, Global Senior Marketing Director for Maker’s Mark. “We turned to the Roku Brand Studio because we want to go beyond the traditional ad experience on the largest screen in the home. Together we developed an entertaining and clever show with a splash of spirit as audiences transition from ‘working at home’ to ‘being at home.’”
You can stream The Show Next Door on Roku’s Ad-Supported Video-on-Demand service, [The Roku Channel.]