Instagram Pushes Another Traditional Broadcaster to Go Vertical

Instagram Pushes Another Traditional Broadcaster to Go Vertical
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Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 Media has started vertical business “Vert“ to help it capture advertising dollars migrating from classical TV to the internet, according to Bloomberg. Vert’s videos for corporate clients will run on platforms such as Instagram, whose more than 1 billion users already watch clips in 9:16 format.

The move comes as ProSieben tries to reinvent itself as a provider of multiplatform digital content amid a shift in video viewing onto a wider array of devices. CEO Max Conze is hoping that will generate new sources of income to offset a loss of television viewers to Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video.

“The popularity of Instagram among young people has increased dramatically over the past years,“ said ProSieben’s chief digital officer for entertainment, Eun-Kyung Park. “Smartphone usage is 98 percent vertical, and that requires completely new ways of storytelling.“

ProSieben wants to hook up the companies that use Vert with its network of social media influencers. In an interview, Park said it will also produce clips to create social media buzz for the broadcaster’s own shows, which include “Germany’s Next Topmodel,“ featuring Heidi Klum.

The challenge for Vert will be to grab the attention of fickle consumers as they swipe through mountains of content. Park said ProSieben had already shown it can build reach for advertisers on YouTube, generating about 1 billion video views per month. “It shows we understand the business model,“ she said.