22 APR 2020
SPECIAL CONTENT

ALEJANDRO ROJAS: "IT'S CRUCIAL TO STAY CLOSE TO THE CONSUMERS"

The Director of Applied Analytics at Parrot Analytics explians that the Covid-19 pandemic could be a an opportunity to help media companies analyze how consumers are engaging with the content and basing future content plans on their needs.

Media analytics company, Parrot Analytics hasn't been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, according to Director of Applied Analytics, Alejandro Rojas, with so many people practicing self-isolation at home, the pandemic serves as an opportunity for media companies to release more content than before, as well as use viewership and consumer action analytics to determine which content spikes engagement and a connection with consumers. With the data changing by the day and even by the minute, the company is offering services that are tailored for the specific needs of each client. 

According to Rojas, the outbreak hasn't caused any alterations to the company's work structure since most data comparisons are performed remotely anyway. “Our clients are everywhere and yeah, we value the face time when we get the chance to meet them and go and talk to them, but most of the work we do is remote," said Rojas. "At the end of the day, it’s all about analyzing all these databases and trying to think about what it really means for the company. It’s an intellectual job, it’s all about how you make sense of this overload of information so they can make sound decisions.”

The infrastructure used to collect data and compare engagement for thousands of shows is organized by country, show, and many other filters. Rojas explained that while the form in which the analytics is collected hasn’t changed, the company is focusing more on collecting information that is useful for media companies to consider the consumers’ needs. “It's all about taking all these changes happening daily and how you adjust your strategy based on the changes. The industry is definitely moving in that direction. That’s how you get people to stay with you, subscribe to your services, and improve your ratings in general.  It's very important to stay as close to the consumer as possible.”

In a time during which people are staying home and watching more content Rojas admits that the outbreak places the company in a good position because it allows it to track audience, their engagement, other actions consumers take people do that show what they are thinking, such as searches, Wikipedia reads, commenting on social media, giving media consumers a sense of what the consumers are thinking and feeling. The company is now working on creating products that are tailored to help clients with specific needs. “We have a lot of data and we needed the talent to know how to transform that data into something that is meaningful for somebody," he said. "Of course, we work with the biggest media networks in the world and do that for them. But, we are also now developing specific products that will be targeted to specific consumers.”

Aside from the obvious viewership increasing data, Rojas has also noticed several shifts in interest among consumers during the pandemic. For example, with people wanting to inform themselves about the virus, most regions experienced a spike in news viewership. Then, in countries such as Italy and the U.S, consumers turned to apocalyptics movies after an increased interest in the current situation, watching circumstances similar to those in which we are experiencing. But after they realizing that the pandemic will continue for longer than expected, people begin looking for a way to escape the day to day and distract themselves from the current reality, leading them to indulge in movies like fantasy, science fiction, etc. “Things may change week to week, and I think what’s interesting about this is how do you get a more holistic understanding of all of the changes that are happening, so then you can plan for the next month, plan for the next quarter, and plan for the next year," Rojas said.

The analytics company has also noticed changes in consumer habits. For example, with fewer people rushing to and from work, viewers now have a longer attention and period of time when watching shows. With rising exposure of content from all over the world, consumers are also more willing to watch movies originated in other regions of the world, in other languages as opposed to only the language they know. According to Rojas, most of the trends that the analytics have tracked during the pandemic were already occurring previously, but were accelerated by the outbreak and are now occurring on a much larger scale. For example, while more consumers previously switched from TV to digital platforms, like Amazon and Netflix, the numbers have dramatically increased during the pandemic. “It's all about taking all these changes happening daily and how you adjust your strategy based on the changes," he said. "The industry is definitely moving in that direction. That’s how you get people to stay with you, subscribe to your services, and improve your ratings in general. It's very important to stay as close to the consumer as possible.”

Despite the crisis the world is experiencing on both, business and professional levels, Rojas states it’s the perfect opportunity for media companies and productions to capitalize as the outbreak will attract more viewers, especially with theater closures. “Casa De Papel” for example, released its fourth season on 3 April and is currently the most-watched show globally. With the overload of demand, he says he expects a promising future for the industry. He states that the more media companies analyze the dynamics, reactions, and engagement on behalf of the audience, the faster they will be able to provide quality content that fits consumers' needs. “I think that there are a lot of dynamics happening," Rojas said. But I see that essentially, this is all going to turn out to be a big positive for the industry down the road because they’ll need to produce more content. The tastes are always impacted by the content that you offer. Consumers react to what you put out and they always go for quality. If you have a really good quality show, then that’s what they’re going to go after.”

By: Karla Florez

I think that there are a lot of dynamics happening. But, I see that essentially, this is all going to turn out to be a big positive for the industry down the road because they’ll need to produce more content. The tastes are always impacted by the content that you offer. Consumers react to what you put out and they always go for quality. If you have a really good quality show, then that’s what they’re going to go after.” Alejandro Rojas Director of Applied Analytics at Parrot Analytics

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