Globo’s Determination to Deliver Globally Resonant Stories

Angela Colla, head of international sales at Globo, talks to TV Drama about the global value of a compelling story, the company’s new business strategy and cultivating relationships with partners.

At the heart of any successful scripted drama series that forges a connection with viewers—and that broadcasters and streamers would be keen to add to their slates—is a compelling story. “On any platform or window, content has never been more in-demand than it is today,” says Angela Colla, head of international sales at Globo. “And especially stories that connect deeply with the audience, that impact society’s behavior and generate conversations on- and off-screen; stories that are in the circle of people’s day-to-day conversations.”

To best meet the needs of the market, Globo implemented a new business strategy, integrating all of its content companies under a single brand that unites pay-TV and free-TV channels and digital platforms. “In practice, this means series, soap operas, documentaries, lifestyle and children’s content for the most varied windows and platforms, meeting the multiple programming strategies and needs of our partners,” says Colla. “The consumer has always been at the center of our strategy, but with the exponential speed of consumer behavior and habits, the need to establish a deep and true connection is essential and growing. For this reason, our stories reflect real-life trends, which in addition to being exciting and fun, address relevant issues that affect society and form an opinion.”

Colla continues, “We bet on a commercial attitude that aims to enhance the strength of our partners; this attitude will be even more important in the face of the new post-pandemic normal. We want to be close to our customers, even if they are physically distant; we want to know their problems in-depth so that together we can look for solutions. It is essential that we put the consumer at the center, understand who they are and what they want, work with data and information to arrive at the best content solutions for our partners.”

Globo is in a strong position to understand its clients, having itself coped with the challenges of Covid-19 as a broadcaster and pay-TV channel operator. It implemented security protocols at Estúdio Globo for recording productions and made adjustments to its free-TV grid, putting on air in prime time repeats of hits from its catalog. “Now, we have the final phase of the soap opera Amor de Mãeon the air in Brazilian prime time of Globo, with the unpublished outcomes of this exciting story,” shares Colla. “The soap opera Salve-se Quem Puder, a production launched this year on the international market, is also back on our grid.”

Launched globally at MIPTV, the Globo highlight Filhas de Eva has found success in Brazil. “With a current narrative that shows the power of women, the series tells the lives of characters who are bound by patterns that do not make them happy,” explains Colla, who also names A Dona do Pedaço, which launched in Brazil in 2020 and airs in Mexico, Uruguay, Bolivia and Israel, among the company’s top titles. Globo brought Avenida Brasil and Verdades Secretas to MIPTV as well, “stories now in shorter formats, especially for OTT platforms, to conquer and engage new digital consumers and engage audiences.”