In a year that was marked by challenges for many in the media industry, Globo was focused on what it could offer the marketplace that would be a beacon of light. \u201cWe seek to offer a wide and robust product catalog to the entire international market, but one of the most successful fronts was our strong collection of telenovelas that already runs around the world,\u201d says Angela Colla, Globo\u2019s international sales head. She adds that in the last year, many titles were sought for rebroadcast, \u201cthanks to their enchanting narratives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Highlights in 2020 included the performances of the telenovelas Total Dreamer<\/em> and Brazil Avenue<\/em>, \u201cwhich again won over the public in their successful re-exhibitions, in Brazil and other countries such as Argentina, Hungary, the United States and elsewhere,\u201d Colla says.<\/p>\n She points out that channels have seen audiences tiring of heavy news consumption surrounding the pandemic. \u201cThe search for lighter, cheerful and heartwarming content has increased considerably, which has met our movement to increase our product portfolio for the international market with new content full of lightness and stories that win the hearts of the public, such as Sweet Diva<\/em>, Orphans of a Nation\u00a0<\/em>and A Life Worth Living<\/em>, among others.\u201d<\/p>\n Several Globo titles have delivered strong performances of late, including the telenovela The Good Side of Life!<\/em>, a classic production that shines a light on the good things in life. The plot is set in the 1940s and has as a main source of inspiration the classic Candide: Or Optimism<\/em>, published in 1759 by the philosopher Voltaire. The protagonist, who was abandoned soon after his birth, faces many difficulties throughout his life, but approaches each day with passion, good humor, humility and generosity. The telenovela is being shown in Portugal, where it is an audience leader in its time slot, and has recently seen solid ratings in Uruguay as well.<\/p>\n Another example of success in this sense is the telenovela Sweet Diva<\/em>, which tells a story filled with drama, romance, action and revenge. \u201cIts narrative captures the audience, besides bringing a pioneering case of real interaction from a digital character [interacting] with the public through social networks,\u201d Colla says. The telenovela is on the air in prime time on Univisi\u00f3n in the U.S., where it has been a leader since its premiere. Recently, the telenovela also premiered on Univisi\u00f3n in Puerto Rico and is being shown in Bolivia.<\/p>\n Orphans of a Nation<\/em> has been a success for Globo, with many broadcasters around the world and awards acclaim to boot. The production, which won a Rose d\u2019Or Award in 2019, last year scored the grand prize at the Seoul International Drama Awards and the International Emmy for best telenovela. The series has the refugee issue as a backdrop \u201cto create a pulsating story, with empathy, cultural diversity and overcoming [obstacles] in the name of love as its main ingredients,\u201d Colla says. The plot centers on two Syrian refugees who need to leave their homeland and head to Brazil to rebuild their lives, though there are many barriers to overcome. Licensed to more than 50 countries, the telenovela was recently shown in Israel and Eastern Europe, in territories such as Georgia and Romania.<\/p>\n \u201cGlobo\u2019s telenovelas, both classics and new launches, keep conquering more space in markets such as Latin America, U.S. Hispanic, Russia and Eastern Europe,\u201d Colla says. \u201cOn the other hand, many entertainment consumers are in search of shorter-format content, which includes series.\u201d<\/p>\n In this regard, the original programs from Globoplay, Globo\u2019s OTT platform, are gaining traction in the international market, thanks to their diversity of genres and themes that resonate with the reality of today\u2019s society and an increasingly connected consumer. This offering includes documentary series, police thrillers and more.<\/p>\n \u201cGlobo intends to continue being much more than a content producer and distributor, but rather a strategic business partner,\u201d Colla says. \u201cBesides offering content of several types and formats, we are always open to new business modalities, new ways to generate revenue, new alternatives to work with data and information and understand the current consumer with our partners.\u201d<\/p>\n