It is may seem surprising that Netflix has been around for 22 years. My mom recently told me of her memory of Monday morning commutes in the 90s: everyone carrying little red envelopes in hand, ready to mail back their weekend’s entertainment.
Netflix managed to evolve successfully from a movie rental company to a content production company – and one of the most important brands in the Internet entertainment space.
One of the reasons for the Netflix’s success is in how the brand is positioned. Netflix is in the business of making enjoyment easy, not, in say “DVD rentals,” which, it seems, was how Blockbuster stubbornly insisted staking its brand.
Attitudes change, marketplace changes, business strategy changes, but Netflix’s core promise has more or less stayed the same, which is now articulated as “connecting people with stories.”
To fulfill that promise, Netflix focuses not just on the content. It continues to evolve their targeting algorithm and convenience of use, such as the user experience, and multi-screen availability.
By positioning a brand beyond the functional (DVD rentals), to the emotional (connecting people with stories), Netflix is positioned to stay relevant in the future.