Channel 4 reveals 4Studio plans
May 28, 2020
Channel 4 has outlined plans for its in-house digital content studio, 4Studio – formerly announced as the Digital Creative Unit.
4Studio will be at the heart of the broadcasters’ digital acceleration strategy leading on all aspects of short-form content publication across social media platforms and delivering on Channel 4’s strategy to serve young audiences in the spaces where they like to consume and interact with content.
Led by Matt Risley, Head of 4Studio, the Leeds-based team will ensure Channel 4 drives engagement with its shows on social platforms by managing and optimising content centrally – from concept through creation to publication and exploitation across multiple platforms.
4Studio will also work closely with both the digital commissioning team and a 4sales team offering social-first branded entertainment opportunities to the advertising market.
The 4Studio commercial team will maximise opportunities for brands to reach youth audiences across Channel 4’s social universe with a view to driving engagement with shows and optimising commercial potential.
Matt Risley, Head of 4Studio said: “4Studio will be the go-to resource within our business offering guidance and practical support on the creation and publication of digital social content to commissioners, producers and advertisers. Our Leeds-based team will specialise in platform specific analysis, tracking trends and enabling a more targeted and tailored approach to social content, commissioning and distribution, supporting our wider ambitions to super-serve young audiences on these platforms.”
Additionally, Channel 4 has revealed plans to become the first UK broadcaster to offer a slate of social-first branded entertainment opportunities to clients and advertisers for publication right across its social channels – including Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
Led by Jonathan Lewis, Head of Digital & Partnership Innovation, the specialist team are seeking to work with like-minded brands to create distinctive social content with a strong sense of purpose at its heart.
Reporting into Lewis with immediate effect, newly appointed Sophie Lloyd, Branded Entertainment & Creative Leader will be driving this initiative with Ex-Unilad Commercial Director Matt Ford, 4Studio Commercial Lead.
The specialists, working closely with Channel 4’s digital commissioning team and a range of production partners have developed a slate of genre specific formats that offer advertisers the opportunity to be part of UK youth culture and entertainment, speaking to these audiences across all the platforms they use to consume content.
Lloyd said: “We’re really proud to be the first broadcaster to be able to offer brands the opportunity to reach our premium youth audiences with meaningful, editorially relevant content for social, either engaging brands with our slate of formats or responding to briefs with bespoke content ideas.”