Netflix India has taken to YouTube storytelling. It has released four short lockdown-themed movies on its YouTube channel.
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During lockdown, the interest in consuming OTT content and the time spent on streaming services have increased. Thanks to the phenomenon of work from home (WFH), more and more people are turning to content on streaming services to wind down after a long day of office work, and household chores.
The Coronavirus may have invaded our work and leisure spaces, but we still have the liberty to 'Netflix and chill'. In the context of the lockdown, Netflix India has embarked on its first cross-platform content exercise, by creating 'Home Stories'. It is a series of four short films that tell the stories of four sets of individuals, who're grappling with the national lockdown.
What stands out about these stories - two comedy, and two drama films - is that though Netflix India has its own streaming service, these stories have been branded a 'YouTube special'. They have been uploaded for viewing on Netflix India's official YouTube channel.
One of the stories is about a delivery person - an essential worker who many brands have been paying homage to, since the lockdown began. When we weren't allowed to step out of our homes, delivery personnel ensured that food, biscuits, and other groceries reached us on time.
The film is titled 'Delivering Smiles', and it stars Tanmay Dhanania - a delivery boy who makes vlogs to cope with his day-to-day life. The movie comments on aspects like deserted streets, paranoid customers, and ends with an act of kindness. The attempt is to tell the story from the perspective of delivery boys, and humanise the work they do on a daily basis. The film does not mention which delivery platform the worker is an employee of.
Amazon and Dunzo are two other brands which have paid homage to delivery personnel, acknowledging the importance of their services. In late March, Amazon released a short film that featured delivery personnel across different brands, in a bid to thank them for the work they do.
Dunzo, too, has been making efforts on this front. Earlier in June, afaqs! spoke to Sai Ganesh, marketing lead at Dunzo. He mentioned that consumers are privvy to brand intentions, and that they have a strong bullshit radar.
"They know when a brand is just trying to sell itself, or stay relevant to current times. We started a trend where we were congratulating partners from Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, PharmEasy, etc. People want to see brands and people helping others at this time,” added Ganesh.
This is not the first time that Netflix has made its platform's content available on YouTube. Last week, in the US, Netflix debuted comedian Dave Chappelle's special titled '8:46' on its YouTube channel - Netflix Is a Joke. The special is nearly half-an-hour long, and talks about pertinent issues, such as the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement, Black American citizen George Floyd's recent death, and police brutality.
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