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NZME Vision announces new lifestyle shows and commercial opportunities

NZME is expanding the scope of its Vision studio by entering the lifestyle genre with a collection of new shows to be rolled out across its digital channels.

Some of the new shows have already been piloted for advertisers and agencies, as NZME looks to cash in on the commercial opportunity offered by the shows. 

“Our audiences’ appetite for high quality video seems to be insatiable, and our advertising partners are asking us for more inventory and new opportunities to target those audiences,” chief commercial officer Laura Maxwell says.

Given it’s already creating lifestyle content in audio and written formats, Maxwell says this is an exciting development, and gives the example of turning its Viva content into a video programming format.

The shows will be distributed across all of NZME’s digital channels and brands matched to each show’s target demographic. Maxwell says the broad distribution, versus a single-on-demand destination, will allow it to scale the audience to a meaningful level for advertising partners.

And to make sure it’s creating content that’s right for the audience, it will work closely with the editorial experts. Maxwell adds this also provides a compelling opportunity for advertisers to play a role as well.

However, she says it’s not about creating advertorial, but rather finding logical places for a brand and show to intersect.

“We will work with brands and agencies to fine-tune the underlying show creative in a way that creates a perfect environment for the brand and a compelling experience for our viewers.”

Aiding that viewer experience is the short-form nature of the shows, because NZME understands digital consumers are time-poor and may well be consuming the content through their mobile device.

However, that’s not to say there are specific timing requirements. Instead, stories could be played out across as much time as they need, so ‘short’ could be anything from a 90-second wardrobe makeover to an 11-minute international travel story, Maxwell says.

There is no word yet as to when the shows will launch, but Maxwell says given there are no constraints to traditional ‘seasons’, NZME will work to align the shows with editorial calendars, audience interest and its advertising clients’ marketing calendar.

NZME Vision launched in November last year and was later brought together with NZME Experiential, the branded content department, and the strategy and planning department to create CreateMe.

Since then, it has been contributing to NZME’s WatchMe content hub with comedy series, like The Civilian and Late Night Big Breakfast and new digital news programme NZ Herald Focus.

Head of video Cameron Death says it’s had “tremendous audience success” with NZ Herald Focus, as it has seen over 700,000 views recent weeks. He adds that the extension into lifestyle programming is a natural one that audiences and advertisers have been asking for.

“We’re excited to create shows as broad as an insider’s look at the creation of a new restaurant, of-the-minute fashion and interior design guidance, accessible beauty and makeover tips, new urban gardening content, local food trends, and even a high-end travel discovery show hosted by some of New Zealand’s most recognisable faces,” he says.

A teaser reel has been released and gives a preview of a number of the series, which include Love letter To…, How To Wear, Urban Green, After Hours, Making a Menu, The Viva Interview, At Home with Viva, A Broad Palate and One of the Girls.

However, it isn’t announcing any specific partnerships. Instead, Maxwell says it’s in “active conversations with several key advertisers and agencies”.

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