Stop Chasing the Next Big Thing

Aligning Creativity with Market Demand: The Foundation of Success

So, Stop Chasing the Next Big Thing because in the world of content creation, the allure of crafting something purely driven by personal passion can be powerful but ultimately a waste of time. After all, creativity thrives when we’re inspired, and personal projects often feel more authentic. But when it comes to achieving success in a market-driven economy, relying solely on passion can lead to disappointment if your creation doesn’t align with what audiences—or commissioners—actually want. My FAQ on formats may help you.

The harsh reality is this: audiences don’t care about your personal passion. They care about their needs being met, so Chasing the Next Big Thing is futile. Whether it’s entertainment, escapism, information, or a sense of connection, the success of any TV show, format, or production lies in its ability to solve a problem or fulfil a demand for the target market.

Why Demand-Led Production Works

At its core, a market-driven approach ensures you’re creating for an existing or emerging audience. Here’s why this matters:

1. Relevance Equals Resonance

Creating content aligned with market trends ensures your project resonates with viewers. A show that taps into current cultural moments or audience desires will stand out among the sea of offerings competing for attention.

1. Efficiency of Effort

Producing for a proven demand reduces the risks of wasting time, money, and creative energy on something that audiences don’t connect with. Instead of gambling on a passion project, you’re investing in something with a higher likelihood of success.

1. Sustainability of Success

When you solve a problem or meet a need, you build trust with your audience. Over time, this trust can grow into loyalty, creating sustainable viewership or engagement for your brand or production company.

Personal Passion vs. Market Demand: A False Dichotomy

It’s easy to think of market demand and personal passion as opposites, but the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The most successful creatives find ways to align their passion with what the market wants. they may be Chasing the Next Big Thing but its probable not on their BBC 4 playlist!

For instance, take The Great British Bake Off. It wasn’t just a baking show—it tapped into the growing cultural trend of celebrating homemade food, nostalgia, and community. The creators’ passion for baking found a perfect match in the audience’s appetite for feel-good, relatable programming.

Lessons from the Trenches

The reality of the media industry is littered with failed pitches that were Chasing the Next Big Thing and that ignored this principle. For years, producers chased their personal visions, crafting shows they loved but that no one wanted to buy. The turning point came when they stopped focusing on what they wanted to make and started focusing on what broadcasters and platforms desperately needed.

One such example is Sam Barcroft’s pivot to creating demand-led programming. By analyzing market gaps and listening to audience behavior on social media, his team built shows tailored to specific needs. This strategy resulted in massive success, including landing one of the first UK-produced Netflix Original series.

The Takeaway

To thrive in a market-driven economy, creators must shift their perspective: stop thinking about what you want to create and start thinking about what the audience wants to consume. Look at what problems your content can solve. Whether that’s filling a genre gap, catering to underserved audiences, or delivering content in a way that’s more accessible, the key is to let the demand guide your supply.

As Sam Barcroft aptly put it: “Nobody cares about your pitch. They just want their most important problem solved.”

In the next section, we’ll explore how to identify the emerging markets and platforms where your ideas can thrive. Let’s build not for the next big thing, but for the next big trend.

Marketplaces of the Future: Where Will Audiences Flock Next?

The media landscape is shifting rapidly, with audiences dispersing across an ever-expanding variety of platforms. Gone are the days when traditional broadcasters held a monopoly over eyeballs. Today, the content marketplace is splintered, and the winners are those who can predict where their audience will land next.

The Rise of FAST Channels

Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels are one of the most significant growth areas in today’s media world. These platforms—such as Pluto TV, Tubi, and Samsung TV Plus—offer free, linear-style programming with minimal barriers to entry for audiences.

Why FAST Channels Matter:

1. Ad Revenue Model: Unlike subscription-based services, FAST channels thrive on advertising dollars, making them accessible to wider audiences who are subscription-fatigued.
2. Curated Niche Offerings: Many FAST channels cater to hyper-specific interests, such as true crime, retro sitcoms, or even single-show marathons. This specificity appeals to audiences who feel overwhelmed by choice on larger platforms.
3. Expanding Reach: FAST platforms are rapidly gaining traction in key markets like the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with global FAST revenue projected to exceed billions by the end of the decade.

For production companies, this presents an incredible opportunity. By understanding the niches within the FAST ecosystem, you can tailor content to these channels, creating lower-budget, high-volume programming that thrives in these curated spaces.

Niche-Driven Markets: Fewer Choices, More Focus

The abundance of content on streaming platforms has created a paradox: too much choice often leads to decision paralysis. As a result, audiences are gravitating toward niche-focused markets, where content feels tailored to their specific tastes.

Examples of Niche Markets Thriving Today:

• True Crime: This genre continues to dominate with loyal viewership across platforms, from Netflix to FAST channels like Crime+Investigation.

• Royal Documentaries: Audiences with an insatiable curiosity for royal families are flocking to shows like The Crown or dedicated docuseries on streaming platforms.

• Wellness and Mindfulness Content: As audiences prioritize mental health, platforms like YouTube and niche apps such as Gaia cater to this growing demand.

Why Niche Markets Work:

1. Loyal Audiences: When viewers find content that aligns with their interests, they tend to stick around longer, leading to higher engagement and retention.
2. Lower Competition: Hyper-focused content faces less direct competition compared to broadly targeted shows.
3. Brand Authority: Producing in a niche allows you to become the go-to authority in that space, creating trust and loyalty.

Understanding Audience Behavior

Predicting where audiences will flock next starts with understanding their behavioral patterns:

1. Data-Driven Insights: Platforms like Netflix and YouTube have perfected the art of using data to understand what audiences want and when they want it. Production companies must also embrace analytics to shape content strategies.
2. Engaging Social Media Trends: Social platforms often act as early indicators of what’s capturing attention. Monitoring TikTok trends, Instagram engagement, or even Reddit communities can reveal untapped opportunities.
3. Globalization of Audiences: As international platforms expand, it’s important to recognize how diverse cultural preferences shape content consumption. What works in the UK may not work in Southeast Asia—and vice versa.

Future-Proofing Your Production Company

To survive and thrive in the marketplace of the future, production companies must focus on adaptability. Here’s how:

• Develop Multiple Revenue Streams: Diversify your portfolio by creating content that works across platforms—streamers, FAST channels, and even YouTube.

• Tailor for Emerging Platforms: Identify up-and-coming platforms and customize content for their unique needs. For example, short, snappy formats work well for TikTok, while serialized storytelling thrives on streaming platforms.

• Monitor Shifts in Engagement: Audiences evolve. A platform that’s booming today might stagnate tomorrow (RIP Quibi). Stay ahead by continuously evaluating platform growth and decline.

The Takeaway

Audiences today are looking for more than just “the next big thing.” They’re seeking content that speaks to them, in spaces where they feel understood and valued. Whether it’s a FAST channel offering nostalgia-driven marathons or a niche YouTube channel that dives deep into wellness, understanding where your audience is—and where they’ll be—can help you stay ahead of the curve.

In the next section, we’ll explore how to intelligently capitalize on trends without becoming a clone factory. Let’s talk about “Trends, Not Clones: How to Capitalize on Audience Demand.”

Trends, Not Clones: How to Capitalize on Audience Demand

The success of Traitors proved a seismic moment for television. With its blend of psychological gameplay and dramatic storytelling, the show captured imaginations worldwide. In the wake of its popularity, every network and producer wanted their version of the same concept: a game of deception where trust is tested. And while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it rarely guarantees long-term success.

Instead of producing clones, smart content creators use these moments to intelligently follow trends—adapting what’s resonating with audiences to their own unique niches, genres, and platforms. This isn’t about creating a carbon copy but understanding the underlying demand and evolving it into something new and engaging.

Why Clones Fall Short

When something as successful as Traitors emerges, the immediate temptation is to recreate it—same mechanics, same premise, same tone. The problem? Clones often suffer from the following issues:

1. Market Saturation: When everyone rushes to create similar content, audiences quickly tire of the repetitive format.
2. Lack of Originality: A copied idea lacks the spark that made the original unique, leaving it as a pale imitation.
3. Missed Opportunity: Clones often fail to dig deeper into what truly captivated audiences, missing the chance to build on the trend in a meaningful way.

Adapting the Traitors Effect

Instead of cloning Traitors, successful production companies analyzed its core appeal:

• The “Hidden in Plain Sight” Gameplay: Audiences loved watching contestants try to outwit each other, often playing on themes of trust and betrayal.

• The Psychological Tension: The emotional stakes—watching alliances crumble and lies unravel—kept viewers hooked.

• Universal Human Dynamics: The show resonated because it tapped into timeless human behaviors like deception, loyalty, and survival.

These elements can be adapted and innovated into countless other formats. For instance, a production company might create:

• A scripted drama series exploring betrayal and deception in a corporate environment.

• A reality competition with the same “hidden traitor” concept but set in a survivalist setting.

• A family-friendly version focused on teamwork and trust-building, tapping into a younger audience.

By identifying why audiences connected with the original, you can create something fresh and compelling that evolves the trend rather than copying it.

Niches That Thrive by Adapting Trends

Some genres, like true crime and royal access, are particularly adept at capitalizing on trends without falling into the trap of cloning.

1. True Crime

• True crime has remained a powerhouse genre because it evolves with audience preferences. Early iterations focused on investigative documentaries (America’s Most Wanted), while newer adaptations incorporate dramatizations (Mindhunter), podcasts (Serial), or docuseries (Making a Murderer).

• Example of Adapting Trends: A producer might notice the rising popularity of AI and tech crimes and create a series examining the impact of hacking, deepfakes, or cyber deception.

1. Royal Access

• The fascination with royalty is perennial, but its presentation changes with the times. Shows like The Crown blend dramatized storytelling with historical accuracy, while documentaries like Harry & Meghan bring modern relevance and controversy to the genre.

• Example of Adapting Trends: A royal-focused series could tap into the global popularity of sustainability by exploring the role of modern royal families in combating climate change or addressing social justice issues.

The Key to Longevity: Innovate Within the Trend

Niches and genres that thrive don’t abandon what works; they innovate within their framework:

• True Crime: Adding elements like immersive VR storytelling, exploring underrepresented voices, or focusing on crimes in unexpected settings.

• Royal Access: Experimenting with unique formats, such as a limited docuseries told from the perspective of palace staff, or scripted shows that fictionalize alternate royal histories.

Don’t Zigzag Erratically—Build Methodically

Jumping from trend to trend without understanding the audience’s deeper needs is like throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks. Instead, successful producers stay focused on:

1. Audience Behavior: What are they drawn to? Why do they stay engaged?
2. Genre Evolution: How can the format grow while staying familiar?
3. Platform Fit: Where is this content most likely to thrive?

For instance, a traditional true crime documentary might work well on Netflix or BBC, while a shorter, edgier version could thrive on a FAST channel with a dedicated crime audience.

The Takeaway

Success isn’t about zigging while others zag; it’s about following trends intelligently. By understanding what made a show like Traitors resonate and applying those insights to your own creative endeavors, you can capitalize on audience demand without falling into the trap of imitation.

In the next newsletter, we’ll delve into how genres innovate by evolving their presentation rather than overhauling their core. Let’s explore “Innovation Through Iteration: Reinventing Presentation, Not Content.”