Hulu

Objective

In 2011, Hulu was a relatively new streaming platform. Spun off by the studios to largely curtail pirating of network shows and to take advantage of the growing streaming landscape, Hulu wanted to create an original program to promote some of the most popular TV shows on the platform (The Daily Show, Modern Family, CSI, etc.)

Hulu bought a 5-day a week show called "The Morning After". I produced, wrote, and hosted over 100 episodes of the original series. Our objective over the shows run was to create a brand voice for Hulu and to convince fans of popular shows to choose Hulu as a streaming destination.

Challenges

One of Hulu's primary goals was to distinguish itself from the user-generated content found on YouTube and other streamers; to create branded content opportunities and fewer dependencies on licensed content. At this time, the branded content space was relatively new. Threading the needle between "branded content" and a simple "advertisement" was a unique challenge in and of itself. What's more, we were producing content that was presented alongside the studio system (ABC, CBS, etc.), but was on a budget more akin to a local TV news station.

Said Hulu's SVP of Content, Andy Forssell:

"When we read the discussions boards on Hulu.com and tweets from our users, it’s clear to us that enjoying Hulu is about more than any one show. It’s also about how your favorite shows relate to the rest of what is going on in pop culture… Lately, our users have been asking us for a quick and fun way to stay current on the latest in pop culture. We looked far and wide for a show that struck the right balance between being entertaining and being informative, but we just couldn’t find something that hit the mark."

So, "The Morning After" was born...

What we did

1. Produced a daily (5 days/week) recap show, akin to "SportsCenter for TV"; we never missed an episode

2. Each episode had a roughly 5-minute run time and averaged anywhere from 50k to 250k viewers

3. 30-second spin-off, branded content segments were produced for Pure Protein, Vimeo, and a handful of CPG products looking for exposure to targeted TV audiences

4. Conducted over a dozen interviews at major studios (Warners, CBS, Fox, etc.) to gain a deeper look into some of Hulu's most popular shows

Conclusion

All told, over 700 episodes of The Morning After were produced, opening the gateway for Hulu's original series and productions.

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