Hub: Consumers Want More Than Video in Bundles

Consumers want bundles that give them more than video content, according to Hub’s new “Battle Royale” survey.

Consumers in general are using just as many non-video entertainment providers as they do premium video, while those under 35 use more non-video sources than video. As such, the “ideal” bundle for consumers includes SVOD, MVPD/VMVPD network packages, streaming music and gaming subscriptions, and non-entertainment items like mobile phone or home internet. Hub found that only two of the five most chosen items were video-related.

The only streaming platform to make it to the top five of must-have items in a bundle was Netflix, at 65 percent. Respondents were more likely to choose streaming music for their bundle than major streaming platforms like Hulu, Disney+ and Max.

Netflix may be best positioned to tap into the demand for bundles, Hub says. Respondents were most likely to choose a bundle offered by Netflix (15 percent) or Amazon (12 percent). More than 30 percent chose a telco or cable aggregator for their ideal bundle operator.

“In the past, content like video, gaming, or music were entirely separate,” said Jon Giegengack, Hub’s principal and founder. “Today, they are all consumed on the same screens and devices, via subscriptions that compete for the same pie of disposable time and money. This research underscores the opportunity for established aggregators like Amazon or AT&T to attract subs with bundles that cross content categories. But it also shows that consumers would readily accept Netflix as an aggregator based entirely on the strength of its brand—something that bodes well for their expansion into live TV and gaming.”