Brief - The Hustle

Can Netflix be a lifestyle brand?

Written by Samir Javer | Feb 7, 2023 12:23:01 PM

2022 wasn’t exactly a chill year for Netflix.

With its stock price down and subscriber losses piling up, the streamer ventured into new territories — doubling down on games, selling merch, and even recently launching a partnership with dating app Bumble.

It begs the question: Can it be an appealing lifestyle brand and enforce an unpopular password crackdown simultaneously?

Media as culture

Content consumption is so ingrained in our culture now, it’s no wonder Netflix is trying to capitalize on this momentum.

The company described its newest strategy as a “guidance evolution,” and its goal is to prove to investors it can evolve with new revenue streams over time rather than just add new subscribers.

But the timing could be off

Netflix is about to become far less cuddly as it begins its long-discussed password crackdown in the US.

Reviews from Latin America, where new regulations have rolled out, have been negative:

  • Users complained about needing to log in to a home IP address every month and receive codes for access when they’re away from their primary location.

Netflix hasn’t released specifics on US rules yet. But it sure seems like it will be more complicated for, say, someone to start sharing their account with people they meet on Bumble.