Background
Over the past decade, more and more consumers cut the cord on traditional cable, opting for more flexible, affordable ways to watch live TV. Since launching its first subscription offering in 2014, this live TV platform has become a go-to choice for sports and entertainment. With access to 200+ live channels, its subscribers can stream content across their TVs, phones, and tablets.
But over the past five years, competition in the streaming space has heated up significantly. New players entered the market, legacy services doubled down on live sports, and customer acquisition costs climbed across the board.
By 2024, the company needed to find new, innovative ways to acquire new customers who wouldn’t just sign up for a free trial and disappear. They needed a strategy for attracting digitally savvy viewers who would continue to stick around, season after season.
Goals
To catch the attention of young, high-intent consumers, the company partnered with Kard, the first independent commerce media network. Specifically, the brand wanted to:
- Convert Gen Z and Millennials into loyal subscribers. Because Kard partners with modern banking institutions and financial services apps, the streaming platform would gain access to a largely untapped young audience already primed to spend on services they value.
- Drive premium subscriptions while keeping costs low. Cash back offers could (1) reel in new subscribers at the entry level price, (2) pull in new subscribers at higher packages, and (3) pull customers away from competitors, earning them more market share. And with Kard’s pay-per-performance model, they could guarantee ROI.
Solution
Kard’s team designed a targeted campaign designed to accomplish those goals, with offers that:
- Gave subscribers up to $25 cash back, depending on the plan they purchased.
- Appeared directly inside banking and fintech apps popular among Gen Z and Millennials already actively using rewards programs for other high traffic shopping categories.
- Ran natively within digital banking environments used by underserved and underbanked communities who are highly responsive to value-driven offers.
Results
The campaign delivered. Over the course of a year, subscriptions nearly doubled — the streaming service saw a 1.8x increase, proving that a valuable product paired with the right incentive can cut through the noise.
Just as important was the quality of those subscriptions. Subscribers weren’t signing up for the cheapest option and calling it a day. Kard’s cash back offer campaign hit an average order value of $89, well above the service’s entry-level plan ($14.99).
Because the campaign tied exposure directly to verified purchases, the team could track actual revenue, not just clicks. On average, the platform earned $3.50 in sales for every $1 spent, and kept total spend below 3% of topline revenue.
Per the customer’s Kard account manager:
“This campaign really highlights what’s possible when you meet customers where they already are — inside apps they use every day to manage their money. We helped the customer reach an audience they were having a hard time accessing through traditional channels, and cash back offers gave viewers a compelling reason to subscribe.”
With strong performance last year, the streaming service is doubling down on its partnership with Kard. The team is working to evolve its cash back program, with plans to roll out additional platform features as they become available, such as:
- Rewards points
- Click-to-boost offers
- Progression milestones
- Location-driven notifications
Wondering how you can drive more subscriptions?
Grab our Consumer Trends in Subscription report, or book a demo to see what Kard can do for your brand.
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