Viaplay Group has rebranded its name and brand from Nordic Entertainment Group, following approval by shareholders at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 18 May. “We are now Viaplay Group – the right step at the right time for our fast-growing global company," Anders Jensen, Viaplay Group President and CEO, said. "Viaplay is present in all our markets, our most recognisable brand and our largest single revenue-generating unit. This change will benefit our whole company by making us more visible and our strategy even clearer. Today is a milestone for our people, partners, investors and everyone connected with Viaplay Group, the international streaming challenger.”
Viaplay will have a market presence in at least 21 countries by the end of 2023, including at least 16 direct-to-consumer markets for the Viaplay app and at least five partner markets for the Viaplay Select branded content concept. The company aims to have approximately 12 million Viaplay subscribers by the end of 2025. The change reflects the company’s strategic focus on the Viaplay streaming service, and its ongoing international expansion and continued Nordic growth.
In the Nordic and Baltic countries, Poland and the Netherlands, the service offers an integration of Viaplay Originals, international films and series, kids content and premium live sports. In the US, the service provides a ‘best of the Nordics’ line-up that includes both Viaplay Originals and selected third-party content. Viaplay Select makes curated premium content available through partner platforms in selected markets, with Japan’s WOWOW the first to launch in April.
Viaplay will launch in the UK in 2022, including live sports, followed by Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland by the end of 2023, while its radio and advertising sales businesses have been rebranded as Viaplay Group Radio and Viaplay Group Ad Sales. The company’s studio operations were reorganised as Viaplay Studios in September 2021.