Fast Laughs, the tool that Netflix launched in 2021 to compete with TikTok, disappeared without a trace. The application, which could be seen at the bottom of the mobile platform, offered a continuous transmission of short humorous clips. Its suspension shows that the streaming giants prefer not to confront the new social networks on their terrain, but on another that is more favorable to them: millionaire signings.
Those in charge at Netflix, who are reluctant to provide details about their decision on Fast Laughs, demonstrate this. TikTok, like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts or Snapchat Spotlight, fight commercially for the attention of the youngest through formulas very different from those used by on-demand television operators. In fact, the economic model of these agents does not even coincide with that of conventional broadcasters and networks.
What is characteristic of TikTok and similar services is a short playback time, smartphone distribution and vertical video format. The founder of the company Fanfix, Harry Gestetner, believes that Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney, HBO Max or Hulu would have to innovate to capture the interest of more young people and adolescents.
These companies, which have forced the titans of the Hollywood industry to be more imaginative, have had difficulty in recent seasons not to be left behind on the Internet. Not in vain did Techcrunch analysts calculate that those under 18 spend more minutes per day on TikTok (91) and YouTube (56) than on Disney (47), Netflix (45), Amazon Prime (40) or Hulu (38). ).
For this reason, the reaction of streamers has been to borrow talent from the networks. Thus, whenever they can, they hire influencers from TikTok, Instagram (owned by Meta) and even Twitch (owned by Amazon). Rather than joining their enemies, as the saying goes, what they are doing is sharing their most famous characters with them.
If this maneuver is carried out skillfully, all parties can win. 2.0 prescribers have one more vehicle of expression at their disposal, while continuing to distribute their content through the channel that has made them famous. For example, TikTok star Addison Rae premiered He's All That on Netflix in 2021. Hulu and Disney have also planned docuseries with digital celebrities like Charli D'Amelio.
Be that as it may, popular producer Evan Shapiro maintains that television executives and writers are not good with smartphones. In his opinion, the ideas of mainstream audiovisuals still do not properly fit this medium, and when professionals try to involve figures in their projects who stood out with a more casual tone and style, they usually fail.
However, experiments such as the Adult Swim block on the Cartoon Network children's channel call this assessment into question. The reason, according to company spokespeople, is that some of its viral hits, such as Too Many Cooks and Tim and Eric, have been conceived and developed by web experts, rather than traditional entertainment industry veterans.
