The positive, long lasting effects of content marketing have been demonstrated by the success of Netflix drama Orange is the New Black.

The drama, set in a women’s prison, has helped to boost Netflix’s revenues to $1.15 billion, which is a year on year increase of thirty-seven per cent.  The online streaming service and DVD rental service now has fifty million members in forty countries around the world.

Netflix have put the success of Orange is the New Black, their biggest success story of this year, down to their ‘biggest content marketing push to date’.

Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sandaros said that the marketing for season two of the prison drama started with creating a “social media buzz” which turned out to be “overwhelmingly positive” as it noticeably increased the amount of search volume for the show.

In the UK, Netflix also invested heavily in TV, outdoor, press and digital advertising in order to create a buzz for the series.  Internationally, Netflix concentrated on trying to resonate with viewers as it shifted its marketing strategy from direct response to a more emotive marketing style.

In some countries, including the US, Canada and Mexico, Netflix’s brand marketing concentrated on getting the message across that viewers lives were enriched when they watched something they enjoyed.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said:  “[Our] advertising strategy [has been] evolving towards more emotive and brand and content and away from direct response, as we realised through testing that we don’t need to be running around saying ‘Netflix free trial’ nearly as much.  That’s very commercial and reductionist.”