Amazon Prime Video today launched localized versions of its streaming service in Southeast Asia’s largest markets: Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The company is trying to increase its subscriber base in the three markets by increasing its investment in local manufacturing, releasing original slates for each area, and giving customers special offers such as seven-day free trials and discounts.
“We are excited to increase our investment in Prime Video for customers in Southeast Asia, making it a truly localized experience – from local content purchased specifically for our customers to a localized user experience and the first full local marketing campaign,” Josh McIvor, director of International Expansion, Prime Video, said in an official statement. “Our support for local production companies in Southeast Asia is an important step towards our broader international expansion plans and our ambition to become the most local of the global streaming services.”
Prime Video has been available in Southeast Asia since 2016, but until now it never had original content offerings, nor the local language interfaces and subtitles typical in more developed markets.
To promote the new offering, Amazon Prime Video is introducing one-week free trial subscriptions and promotional subscription pricing valid until December 2023 as part of its relaunch efforts in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The discounted subscriptions cost 59,000 Indonesian rupiah ($3.98), 149 Thai baht ($4.10) and 149 Philippine pesos ($2.69).
“Southeast Asia is a tapestry of cultures, languages and histories, and there has really never been a better time to be a content creator or a content consumer in this part of the world,” said Erika North, head from Asia-Pacific Originals, Prime Video. “We are committed to the local TV and film industry and believe in working with the most innovative creative talent in the region to bring the very best, most authentic and local stories to life for our clients, not only in the region, but also for Prime Video members around the world. This is just the beginning.”
Originals coming to the platform include three versions of a new situational comedy improv show “Comedy Island”. The new local originals “Comedy Island: Indonesia”, “Comedy Island: Thailand” and “Comedy Island: Philippines” each feature eight comedians and celebrities participating in comedy challenges and games. All three versions will launch on Prime Video in 2023 in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.
The Indonesian content offering includes two films, ‘Siege At Thorn High’ and ‘4 Seasons In Java’, plus other Indonesian titles such as a local version of the Italian hit ‘Perfect Strangers’, ‘Ashiap Man’ and horror film ‘Kuntilanak 3’.
Thai titles coming to the local service include “Three Idiots and a Ghost,” “Metal Casket,” “The 100,” “The Up Rank,” “My True Friends: The Beginning,” and “How To Fake It.” In Bangkok’.
The Filipino content ranges from comedy drama ‘Big Night’ to romance ‘How To Love Mr. Heartless’ and ‘Whether The Weather Is Fine’.
Viewers will also get access to Korean offerings such as ‘Nothing Serious’, ‘Toy Soldiers: Fake Men 2 The Complete’, along with popular anime titles ‘Demon Slayer’ and ‘Jujutsu Kaisen 0’.
There will be other global titles such as the recently released movie “Thirteen Lives”, starring Colin Farrell and Viggo Mortensen, the Hollywood blockbuster “No Time to Die”, Amazon global originals such as “The Boys”, “The Terminal List, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and licensed US series “The Good Doctor.”
US-based streaming services such as Paramount+ and Disney+ have recently expanded to more countries and territories and have also invested in international content to diversify their offerings and boost subscriptions.
In June, Paramount+ was launched in South Korea in partnership with TVING. The streamer has plans for 150 international originals by 2025. Disney+ had its MENA (Middle East and North Africa) launch two months ago and aims to expand to more than 160 countries by fiscal year 2023.
