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Welcome to Product Monk, a 3x/week newsletter where we share the case studies of the most exciting tech products.

We wrote these three stories last week, hope you love them ❤️:

• How to Create Engineering-friendly Product Designs?

• How Quora gained 300 Million monthly active users?

• How Khan Academy Captivated 14.5+ Crore Learners

PS: Every email has a quick feedback at the bottom. Would really appreciate it if you give feedback there. Gives us a general sense of how our case studies/emails have been received and how to improve on them.

Hello hello, Angad here! 😀

It’s been 6 months since we launched Moonshot Media  and currently have 4 newsletters running:
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We have made more than $14,000 in the first 6 months of starting and it will only keep growing. 

And I have a surprise for you…we have now created an end-to-end email course called Newsletter Mastery where you can learn how to create and monetize your newsletter from scratch in just 7 days!

Price: FREE. Yep. I want you to start 2024 by learning, implementing, and creating your newsletter, which can get you results like these.

PS: If you end up building a newsletter, you will get an invitation to a secret community of Newsletter Creators.

What Kind of a Product Manager Are You?

Here are the results from the previous email's (Khan Academy) quiz! Find out what kind of a PM you are!

If you chose __ in the previous post, you are:

A. Deep Diver: Prefers long-term focus and mastering the intricacies of a single product.

B. Versatile Problem Solver: Thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys navigating new challenges quickly.

Find the next quiz right below!

BigFlix: Why India's First OTT Platform Failed?

See why Reliance BigFlix failed but others succeeded!

Reliance Bigflix, a once-prominent contender in the Indian streaming market, rose with ambition and fell with a whimper. Launched in 2010 by the Reliance Entertainment arm of the Reliance Group, Bigflix had all the ingredients for success – a powerful backing, early mover advantage, and a vast potential customer base.

Yet, by 2016, it had faded into obscurity, a cautionary tale in the cutthroat world of streaming.

This case study delves into the factors that fueled Bigflix's initial promise and the missteps that led to its downfall.

Let’s begin!

How was BigFlix Founded?

Let’s take a look at how India’s first OTT platform came to be.

Reliance Entertainment's Vision

The story begins with Reliance Entertainment, a media and entertainment arm of the Reliance Group, founded in 2005. One of their objectives was to tap into the largely untapped video rental market in India.

Steven Spielberg Collaboration

In 2009, Reliance Entertainment announced a joint venture with Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. This $825 million partnership fueled ambitions for venturing into digital entertainment.

Spielberg's DreamWorks studio possessed a vast library of critically acclaimed films and access to renowned talent. The joint venture provided Reliance Entertainment with a direct pipeline to this valuable content, enabling them to build a strong catalog for their streaming platform, Bigflix.

Additionally, the partnership opened doors for potential co-productions with DreamWorks, leveraging Spielberg's creative genius and production expertise.

Launch of Bigflix

On April 27, 2010, Reliance Entertainment officially launched Bigflix, India's first global multi-language HD movie platform. Its initial library boasted 2,000 HD movies across nine Indian languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bhojpuri, and Bengali.

Why the Beginning Looked Promising for BigFlix?

First Mover Advantage

Bigflix didn't just enter the Indian streaming scene early, it practically pioneered it. Launching in 2010, it established itself as a household name before major international players like Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video entered the fray.

This head start proved invaluable, allowing Bigflix to build a loyal user base and cultivate brand recognition among early adopters of digital entertainment in India. It carved a niche for itself, becoming synonymous with streaming in an early market hungry for content.

Reliance Backing

The financial might of the Reliance Group was like a Midas touch for Bigflix. Unlike many fledgling startups, Bigflix had the backing of a diversified conglomerate, granting it access to resources its competitors envied.

Mind you, at this time, Netflix had only started with online streaming, with its reach only majorly within California and some parts of US. They did not have any strong financial backing as BigFlix. Netflix entered India using a lot of different strategies.

This robust financial support translated into securing lucrative deals with major studios, enabling Bigflix to boast a content library brimming with Bollywood blockbusters and popular TV shows.

Additionally, Reliance's marketing muscle allowed Bigflix to launch aggressive campaigns, catapulting its name into the living rooms of millions across India.

Content Library: Catering to the Indian Palette

Bigflix understood the Indian audience's appetite for Bollywood. Its initial library was a treasure trove of Hindi movies and TV shows, carefully curated to cater to the preferences of a loyal and passionate fan base.

But Bigflix didn't stop there. Recognizing the growing demand for diverse content, it ventured into regional languages, offering films and shows in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and other vernacular languages.

This strategic move broadened its appeal, making Bigflix a one-stop shop for entertainment across India's linguistic tapestry.

Where Did it All Go Wrong for Reliance BigFlix?

Content Acquisition Problems

• Expensive Deals: Acquiring rights to popular movies and TV shows became increasingly costly as global streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon slowly entered the Indian market. Bigflix struggled to match their deep pockets, leading to a content library that often lacked the latest and most sought-after titles.

• Delayed Releases: New Bollywood releases often appeared on Bigflix months after their theatrical premieres, reducing their appeal to audiences eager for fresh content. This delay hindered Bigflix's ability to compete with platforms offering quicker access to new releases.

• Lack of Original Content: Bigflix didn't invest in producing original content, a strategy that proved successful for its competitors. This left it relying solely on acquired content, limiting its ability to create unique, must-watch programming.

Technological Missteps

• Clunky Platform: Bigflix's user interface was often criticized for being clunky, slow, and lacking intuitive features. This made it less appealing to tech-savvy users, especially as competitors offered sleeker and more user-friendly platforms.

• Slow Adaptation: Bigflix was slow to adapt to technological advancements, such as mobile optimization and Chromecast support. This delayed adoption impeded user experience and hindered its ability to keep pace with evolving viewing habits.

Marketing Missteps

• Generic Campaigns: Bigflix's marketing campaigns often lacked creativity and failed to effectively communicate its unique value proposition. This resulted in lower brand awareness and adoption compared to rivals who employed more engaging and targeted marketing strategies.

• Inconsistent Messaging: The platform's messaging around pricing and content offerings sometimes lacked clarity and consistency, leading to confusion among potential subscribers.

Shifting Consumer Preferences

• Mobile-First Viewing: The Indian streaming market witnessed a rapid shift towards mobile-first viewing habits. Bigflix was slow to adapt to this trend, focusing primarily on desktop viewing experiences. This limited its reach and appeal to a growing mobile-centric audience.

• Regional Content Demand: Demand for regional content expanded significantly, but Bigflix's focus on Bollywood and select regional languages failed to fully capitalize on this trend. Competitors offering a wider range of regional content gained a competitive edge.

Key Takeaways for Product Managers

• Don't underestimate the power of customer support: Responsive and helpful customer service can turn frustrated users into loyal advocates.

• Track your competitors closely: Learn from their successes and failures, and identify opportunities to differentiate yourself.

• Stay optimistic and learn from challenges: View setbacks as learning opportunities and use them to improve your product and strategy.

• Define your unique value proposition: Communicate what makes your platform special and distinct from the competition. Tailor your messaging to resonate with your target audience.

• Utilize targeted marketing: Employ data-driven strategies to reach specific user segments with relevant campaigns. Utilize social media effectively to engage with your audience.

• Prioritize intuitiveness and responsiveness: Ensure your platform is easy to navigate and delivers a smooth experience across all devices, especially mobile.

• Invest in technology: Stay ahead of the curve by adopting new technologies like AI-powered recommendations, personalization features, and seamless integration with popular devices.

• Collect user feedback actively: Listen to your users and iterate on your platform based on their needs and pain points.

♨️ Served hot from the industry!

This section includes some relevant articles/videos, people to check out, and links you might find interesting from around Product management.

👉🏻 A Day in the Life of the Product Manager in India (Link)

👉🏻 14 Must-Have Product Manager Skills: From Essentials to Next-Level (Link).

👉🏻 Why Emotional Intelligence is a Game-Changer for Product Managers (Link)