Content is king right across the video industry and vital to gain an edge, particularly in subscription video-on-demand, and a study by Ampere Analysis has shown that HBO Max is market leader when it comes to offering the highest volume of award-winning content in the US.
Looking at what acclaim has been given to SVOD programming by over 35 international media awarding bodies, the study found that HBO Max offered just under 700 championed films and TV shows, followed by Netflix and Amazon Prime Video with over 500 titles each. These three were the only US platforms to boast over 500 award-winning titles.
In terms of concentration of award-winning content, HBO Max also led the rankings with just over one in five (21%) decorated titles in its library, beating Apple TV+ (19%). Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, though close-behind in volume, have a much lower density of award-winning content, at 10% and 7% respectively.
Attributing reasons for the success of HBO Max in this regard, Ampere noted that of the SVOD service’s older award-winning titles, 79% were films from the Warner Bros’ catalogue (137 titles) and content licensed through a partnership deal with The Criterion Channel (122 titles). Of the decorated TV Shows, HBO-produced titles made up the largest share (30%). The study also noted that the 2022 Primetime Emmys saw HBO and HBO Max jointly claim a network-leading 38 wins across 13 shows. This included the most-decorated show The White Lotus, which won in 10 out of the 13 categories it was nominated in, as well as shows with multiple wins including Euphoria and Succession.
“Platforms that focus on delivering premium, top-end content to viewers unsurprisingly have highly decorated, award-dense catalogues,” commented Ampere Analysis analyst Joe Hall. “The focus on quality over quantity is key to retaining and growing a subscriber base whilst maintaining a smaller library. With a shrinking pool of licensable content, emphasis should be placed on titles that consumers engage with long after the initial release. Those that are victorious at well-established awards ceremonies, such as the Emmys, not only prove their quality but can help to elevate a title’s profile to increase engagement.”