Background
Over the past two years, a leading streaming platform has expanded its footprint in Latin America, evolving its business model to include bundled subscriptions, competitive local pricing, and creative strategies for monetization. To remain at the forefront of a highly competitive market, the client has consistently invested in technology initiatives to increase the accessibility of its local productions, ultimately boosting viewer engagement and retention.
Industry data shows that by late 2023, this platform emerged as one of the top commissioners of new content in Latin America, contrasting sharply with significant downturns in streaming commissions by other global competitors. The approach of producing regionally resonant titles, combined with strategic licensing of major international hits, allowed the client to steadily increase its market share and overall content appeal.
Challenge
The client was interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the reality show segment to support both existing and upcoming local productions, as well as refine licensing strategies. To achieve this, they required solid insights into the performance of the Romance and Dating reality sub-genres across various Latin American markets.
Specifically, senior executives wanted to identify:
Which titles and franchises demonstrated consistently high demand, particularly in Brazil and Mexico.
How local versions of global shows - such as Love is Blind and Ex on the Beach - fared relative to their original formats.
Whether there were untapped sub-genres or franchises with strong potential and minimal market saturation.
The best-practice content strategies for both linear and streaming environments, given the region’s varied demand drivers (e.g., social media, live reunions, and cross-franchise promotions).
Solution
Parrot Analytics conducted comprehensive audience demand analyses using the latest data from its entertainment analytics system, leveraging a curated portfolio of more than 300 Romance & Dating reality shows. This comprehensive research was focused on five key markets - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico - capturing both overall genre popularity and top-performer trends from January to August 2024.
Key steps included:
Detailed Benchmarking: Identifying the top shows and franchises - Acapulco Shore, Love Island, Temptation Island, and others - and contrasting their performance in different markets.
Local Adaptation Insights: Measuring how regional versions of popular global franchises performed compared to their international counterparts to determine if localized talent and hosts catalyzed demand.
Demand Drivers & Patterns: Assessing which titles benefited from social media buzz, linear channel exposure, or platform-exclusive releases, providing a clear picture of how each marketing lever impacted demand.
Untapped Opportunities: Mapping sub-genres with high demand but relatively low supply to highlight where the client could innovate within the Romance & Dating space.
The project team employed advanced analytical methods to synthesize these findings into actionable insights. This included time-shift analysis to measure shifts in viewer demand before and after new releases, subgenre supply-versus-demand mapping to identify potential or saturated niches, and local-versus-global comparisons to uncover best practices for audience engagement. The result was a clear, data-driven framework that the client could use to optimize future strategy.
Impact
The findings revealed that dating reality shows commanded strong viewership across the region - particularly in Brazil and Mexico - while franchises like Ex on the Beach and Acapulco Shore thrived on extensive cross-promotions and recurring talent appearances. Local adaptations of globally popular formats (e.g., Love is Blind in Brazil) showed significant potential, confirming that regional audiences gravitate toward culturally resonant hosts and casting choices.
These insights empowered the client’s content development and marketing teams to:
Position the new Brazilian dating show for maximum visibility by cross-promoting with existing dating or housemate reality properties, leveraging talent crossovers.
Design a dynamic release strategy (with potential reunion specials or after-shows) to amplify social media chatter and sustain demand.
Enhance local production investment in content that reflects authentic cultural nuances - an approach proven to build lasting audience loyalty.
Guide new acquisition strategies.
Powerful Entertainment Analytics at your Fingertips
All research findings and data insights were derived from Parrot Analytics’ DEMAND360 platform. This powerful solution enabled the client to:
Track and benchmark hundreds of Romance & Dating reality shows simultaneously across multiple Latin American markets.
Quantify audience engagement and compare regional adaptations to international originals.
Identify proven patterns of success - from leveraging recognizable cast members to orchestrating live reunion events - underpinned by robust demand metrics.
By merging these data-driven insights with the client’s strategic objectives, the leading streaming platform laid the foundation for current and upcoming local productions, aiming for high impact in a competitive market - solidifying its position as a leading destination for reality content in the region.
