An online-first series
This week’s egtabite puts the spotlight on the Belgian sales house SBS Belgium and telco operator Telenet with its series wtFOCK, which in no time has become one of the most successful online-first series in Flanders. The series – which is very popular among 15-24 year olds – has remained for a long time under the radar for other audiences. Its authenticity, in combination with the unique format, greatly contributed to the success of the series, both with viewers and advertisers: a win-win situation, as SBS manages to target a group that advertisers have difficulty in reaching.
The border between fiction and reality
wtFOCK is the Flemish version of SKAM, a Norwegian youth series that generated so much hype that the concept was picked up for adaptation in countries such as Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany, the United States and now Belgium.
The series differs from other run-of-the-mill youth series in several areas. First and foremost, it is an online-first series that is first released on its own online platform wftock.be and broadcast afterwards on the SBS channels VIER and VIJF and Play from Telenet. In addition – as young people want to decide for themselves what and when they want to watch – wtFOCK responds perfectly by offering short clips – which go “live” throughout the day at unannounced times.
Next, there are the characters: these can also be followed effectively in character on social media, allowing fans to follow on Instagram stories, for example, when one of them is walking in a climate march that is actually taking place in Brussels at that time. The border between fiction and reality becomes very thin and young people can easily mirror themselves on the characters.
Finally, the advertising in and around the videos adapted to the content, the style and look&feel of the series. The brands that advertise have a clear link with the viewing audience. The ad break starts with funny hashtags. Product placement such as the case with Samsung has an active integration in the story.
The numbers don’t lie
SBS Belgium & Telenet commission a survey after each ‘wave’ of new content. The survey that took place after the second wave, among 2600 youngsters between 15 and 34 year-old gauged the popularity of the series within the broad offer of youth series. When asked which youth series they know, wtFOCK takes the lead. Within the 15 to 24-year old- age category, almost half follow the series. Moreover, once they have watched a single clip they are hooked: the vast majority watch on a frequent basis (several times a week).
The numbers don’t lie: wtFOCK also proved extremely popular with up to 400,000 viewers younger than 35 and 1,000,000 views per week on its own platform, and at that time almost 100,000 followers on the official Instagram account. The success does not stop after the second wave. The third wave stands for more than 12.600.000 views in 10 weeks only.
Recognisability is key
The series proves that the younger generation not only opts for large American productions, but that local content that speaks the language of the youngsters can score just as well. And speaking the right language is something that was always central during the creative process of the series. Telenet and SBS consciously chose not to focus on traditional advertising, but to give space to grassroots and guerrilla marketing. In this way, the series could be discovered by young people themselves, which contributed to the popularity of the series
.“Advertisers are finding it increasingly difficult to reach young people in their natural environment, wtFOCK is offering new commercial opportunities in Flanders for the first time according to the rules of the young people themselves. With a selective number of brands, we are creating storytelling today that stands out and lingers with the young people because this communication appeals to them and does not feel unnatural.” – Ilse De Leersnyder, Brandcare Sales Director, SBS Belgium.
The series is expecting its fourth wave in Spring, proving that local Flemish content has a future.